That Butler, Frantic
by Miss Meep
Summary: A soul mate, a life mate, call it what you will, but a demon can have one, too. A human one. Sebastian has lived for a very long time, and has all but lost hope in finding the one person he can ever trust, so when he finally finds her, holding a cat of all things, he couldn't be happier. Oh my, what's this? Her friend seems to be bonded to someone as well... (SebastianxOC)(OCxOC)
1. Chapter One

_**Chapter One:**_ _  
_Life Isn't Fair

* * *

 _It just wasn't the same without Kyra_ , the girl decided, her eyes dancing across the room full of people.

" _Only family was invited, and your friend isn't family. She can't come,_ " she recalled her foster mother saying. That may be so, but she'd be much happier if Kyra was invited to her birthday party. Kyra was her sister in heart, after all.

 _It was okay, though_. For once, everything was going okay. Raven could have her own birthday celebration with Kyra another day. Raven was happy. Her family was getting along, though they were acting a bit rowdy.

That was until her brother came home.

Her foster brother, the biological son of her foster parents, had been out partying with his friends - again - until their mother called him and nagged him to come home to celebrate Raven's eighteenth birthday. Raven knew that when he arrived it would be the end of the fun part of the night. It was always like that. He was just like his father, in more ways than one. She mentally sighed when her mother declared they would wait for her son, Tyson, to be home before enjoying her birthday cake. She briefly considered feigning exhaustion and going to bed early, however she knew her foster mother would throw a fit about it.

Over half an hour later, her predictions came true.

A very inebriated young man stumbled through the door, a goofy smile on his flushed face.

After welcoming him home, she tried to avoid him by continuing the conversation with her foster sister about prospective colleges and her job hunt, yet she knew it would only last so long.

Soon, the family was gathered around the table, and Raven tensed when Tyson slipped in next to her, wrapping an arm tightly around her waist in the process.

The lights flicked off and she felt hot breath near her ear, making her hair stand on end.

There was always something off about that man, and she didn't like it.

 _Not. One. Bit._

He was always like this when he was drunk. A bad feeling, an eerie feeling, call it what you may, but she always sensed it from him, and so did Kyra. That was why Kyra wasn't so bothered when she couldn't come to her house for her birthday; neither of them liked Tyson. This wasn't the first time he had wrapped his arm around her like that either, but no one saw anything wrong with it regardless of the fact that she had told them _she didn't want him to touch her_. It was innocent, they said; he's your brother. Lighten up.

Determined not to start any problems on her birthday, she focused on her foster mother carrying in her cake. It was a nice cake! It was a homemade chocolate cake with strawberries on top! Two candles that made the number "18" were blazing on the top, and she couldn't help but smile at the " _Happy birthday, Raven!_ " scrawled in icing by her mother. This was one of the better homes she had been placed in thus far; it wasn't perfect, far from that, but it was better than most.

" _Happy birthday, dear Raven~! Happy birthday to you~!_ " They sang, and she could hear Tyson's _extremely_ off-key, drunken singing voice the loudest, and she could _smell_ it quite well, too. The alcohol was very strong on his breath, making her cringe.

"Blow out the candle and make a wish!" Her foster mother beamed at her.

"Make sure you don't tell anyone what it is, or it won't come true!" Her sister teased, grinning slyly.

"Are you shure?" Tyson slurred, smirking as his hand tightened and he laid his head on her shoulder. "You never know."

Raven sighed. "I'm sure it won't."

"Well, maybe I can help make it come true," he whispered and winked at her.

 _'I'm sure you can't_ ,' she thought to herself, leaning forward and blowing out the candles. Laughs, claps and cheers resounded through the room and only increased when Tyson suddenly turned her and held her tightly, roughly and forcefully planting his lips on hers. Her eyes widened and her hands pressed against his chest as she thrashed wildly, trying to free herself.

"Awh, how cute!" Someone laughed.

Raven gasped as he finally released her. " _What do you think you're doing?!_ " She demanded, her eyes wide in both anger and fear.

"Jeez, I'm just giving you a birthday kiss!" He laughed. "Calm down! You're _legal_ now."

"He's right, calm down!" She heard her mother laugh as she plucked out the candles. "It's not a big deal. It's just a kiss. Let's have cake! The first slice goes to the birthday girl!"

Raven felt numb as she accepted the slice handed to her moments later. Her heart pounded in her chest. He had groped her before when no one was looking - her mother didn't believe it of course, or laughed it off as him teasing her (boys will be boys!) - but he had never outright done something like that.

Raven did not enjoy her birthday cake. She finished it in record speed, claimed she was tired and escaped to her room as fast as possible. Without changing, she clambered onto her bed and balled herself into her sheets, clenching her eyes shut as she grit her teeth.

 _'I need to find a job as soon as possible_ ,' the raven haired girl told herself. ' _I need to get myself money and move out of here. I need to be independent of these people.'_

She closed her eyes, determined to sleep tonight.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Raven had just begun to doze off when she heard her door creak open. In the distance, she heard car doors slamming. Blinking her eyes a few times, she groggily pushed herself, looking in the direction of her door. Her heart slammed up to her throat when she saw a tall, dark figure in the doorway.

"What are you doing in here?!" She demanded.

Tyson grinned. "What are you talking about? I _knew_ you'd be waiting for me in here for when Mom left to drive Rebecca to her friend's house. They're gone now, don't worry. Mom won't be back for awhile. Let me give you your present."

Tyson haphazardly swung the door shut behind him, closing it only part way as he eagerly took a step forward, a hand moving to undo his belt.

"I know you felt it, too, when I kissed you." He grinned. "You've been waiting for this night for over two years, haven't you? Ever since you moved in."

This made Raven stand up. ' _He's drunk. Nothing I say will make him understand. I have to get out of here.'_ Her eyes snapped to the half-open door.

Tyson was within an arm's reach, his belt on the floor and his hands working on his pants. "You've always been the silent type, huh? That'll just make it even better when I have you screaming for me."

His hand reached for her and Raven bolted, reaching out desperately for the door only to gasp when an iron-like hand gripped her arm and threw her back onto her bed.

"Playing hard to get, huh?" Tyson laughed. "You're so adorable."

The man leaned over her, grabbing her hands when they darted up to push them away and pinned them above her head with one hand, the other gripping her face and smothering it with another kiss.

Raven grit her teeth as he tried to force his tongue in her mouth, maneuvering her legs underneath him before bringing a knee up as hard as she could.

The reaction was instant: Tyson's grip on her loosened and he jerked back, his face paling as he shouted in pain. Raven wasted no time in shoving him to the side and bolting out the door and out of the house.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Raven ran as fast as she could, stopping only when her legs ached and her lungs burned for air, and even then she continued to walk. She couldn't go back tonight. She'd go back tomorrow and tell her mother what had happened. Maybe she'd _finally_ believe her!

Raven's eyes squeezed shut and she bit her lip. It was a long shot, but she was still hopeful.

Raven was startled back into reality when a car's horn honked close by, followed by a familiar voice.

"Raven! What are you doing outside so late? I thought you were going to sleep!" Her mother called, sounding concerned.

Her eyes widened as she turned to the street. Her mother had pulled over to the side of the road and rolled down the window. Not hesitating, Raven walked over to the car, gripping the window's opening tightly.

"What's wrong, sweetie? You look paler than usual," her mother exclaimed.

"It's _Tyson_!" Raven blurted out. "He's _really_ drunk, and he tried to _rape_ me!"

"..." Raven's foster mother remained silent, the emotion drained from her face as she simply sat there and stared at Raven.

"Mom, I'm telling you the _truth_! I would never lie about something like this! _Please believe me_!" Raven pleaded.

"..." She remained silent for a moment longer. "... _Raven_... This isn't funny. _You're_ not funny. _After all we've done for you_ , you're going to keep accusing _my_ _ **son**_ of these... these _lies_!"

"I'm _not lying_!"

" _Yes, you are_!" She shouted. "You _ARE_ lying because _my son would never do anything like that_! My Tyson is a _good man_! Even if he _was_ flirting with you like you've said before, that would obviously be _your_ fault for teasing him with the way you dress and the way you look at him! I've seen it! What happened? Did you ask him out after I left and then he turned you down, so now you're trying to get back at him by accusing him of trying to rape you so you can ruin his life over something so petty? Well, it's not going to work. I've had enough of your pathetic attempts for attention. You're more trouble than you're worth! Don't bother coming back. You're no longer welcome in my home. You're eighteen now; you're an adult. Take care of _yourself_."

Without hesitation, she rolled up the window and drove away.

Raven stood there silently for several moments before turning and forcing her legs to walk over to the park a block over, finally stopping and collapsing on a bench. Slowly, she pulled her knees to her chest, wrapped her arms around her legs, dropped her head and began to weep.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Raven's breathing was ragged, but she had finally stopped sobbing after a while. Her mind was now focused on what to do next. She could still go to her foster mother's home to get her belongings tomorrow, and she most definitely did _not_ want to go alone. She'd have to get Kyra to help.

Regardless, she no longer had a home and was unemployed. Maybe she could ask Kyra's mom if she could stay there just until she could afford an apartment, as long as she paid rent?

So lost in her thoughts in her thoughts she was that she did not hear the heavy footsteps coming up behind her until a rough hand grabbed her by the hair and threw her to the ground.

"You just couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you?!"

A choked cry escaped her mouth after a harsh pain erupted in her stomach.

"You ruined _everything_!"

And again.

"We could have been happy! It could have been _so nice_ , living together in the same house, being together every night!"

And again...

"But _NO_! You had to go and _lie_ like you _always do_! You _know_ you wanted it, but you just have to be a drama queen like you always do!"

A hand reached down and grabbed her by the hair once more, pulling her back before slamming her head against the pavement.

"You fucking whore." Tyson glowered at her, standing up again. "You never deserved me anyway. You were lucky for my attention to begin with."

His foot darted out, and pain erupted in her stomach one more time.

" _Stupid bitch_ ," he muttered, turning and walking away to leave her laying on the pavement.

Raven's hand was still for several minutes before it twitched, and she moved to push herself up.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

" _I'm coming!_ " A faint voice echoed past the door Raven had banged on, and she sighed, sliding down against the railing. Her head drooped as she once again hugged her knees to her chest.

The light clicked on and the door opened, yellow light streaming through the now open doorway, revealing her small and battered body.

An audible gasp broke the silence. " _Raven_?!" Arms were thrown around her. Gentle arms she more than welcomed, even as they pulled her up and ushered her inside.

" _What happened to you?!_ "

Her breathing quickened as she leaned against the person at her side. Her body began shaking as she began falling over the edge. She was sat down on the bathroom floor as the only person she ever truly trusted pulled out a first aid kit and tended her wounds, and she held it in as best she could until she was done.

" _Just let it out, sweety_."

And so she did.


	2. Chapter Two

_**Chapter Two:**_ _  
Famous Last Words_

* * *

 _Sunlight streamed through the window_ and Raven sighed quietly, pulling the covers over her head with one arm and tightening her hold on the book in her arm with the other.

Wait.

There was a book in her arm?

She sat up quickly, throwing the covers off her (much to the protest of the girl who had still been sleeping) and set the book on her lap, peering curiously at it.

How odd.

It was a large, thick, black, hardcover, leather bound book. On the front cover was an oddly familiar symbol. Enclosed in a circle was a pentagram. In each opening was an unfamiliar word: Ton, Te, Tra, Gram, and Ma. Outside of this circle was other made from a strange design. It suddenly dawned on her why it looked so familiar - why she felt as though she's seen it before - it was Sebastian and Ciel's Faustian contract symbol!

Raven stared at the book, a small smile on her lips, and slowly opened the book, revealing a blank page, as expected in a hardcover book. She turned the page again and was greeted by the sight of the contract symbol once more. After quickly rifling through it, she found it empty of any writing. It was a journal!

"Give me back the blanket!" A whine from beside her sounded as the blanket was tugged from her lap. Raven smiled softly at the ball on the bed beside her.

"Thank you so much, Kyra. This is really cool!" She giggled, patting the blanket-covered lump gently. "I really appreciate it."

"... Huh?" A mess of dirty blonde hair peeked out of the lump of blankets. "The Hell are you talking 'bout? All I did was steal the blanket."

Raven laughed quietly. "For the book, _silly_! It's a great birthday present - thank you so much!"

At this, the blob revealed herself. "What book? Let me see that. I'm just waking up, too."

Raven blinked. "Come on, Kyra! What do you mean you didn't give it to me? Where else could this have come from?" Nonetheless, she obliged and showed the book to her friend. "It's so you to give me a journal. You know how much I love to write - _especially_ one with Sebastian's symbol on it! I love it!" Raven beamed, wrapping her arms around her friend.

"Uh..." Kyra slowly blinked. "Cool. Glad you like it. I didn't give it to you. I don't know where this came from."

"... Huh?" Both girls' eyes were now glued to the book. "Well, there's no way it was your mother, and no one else is here, right?"

"Right..." Kyra repeated. "Let's look through it."

"It was empty when I looked through it before, though." Raven murmured.

"You could have missed something. Let's look again, together."

Raven nodded, turned the page and saw another blank one. She quickly turned it to find a simple pentagram, with text underneath.

"This wasn't here before," Raven said quietly.

 _~Sors non est genus suum  
Qui tamen fatum non est mentitus._

 _Sors in manibus meis animam meam creditum est mihi  
Et sic ire in tenebras.~  
_

 _Create the pentagram using candlesticks, light them, and sit in the middle while holding this book. Once situated in the middle, speak the words stated above aloud. Do not let go of the book under any circumstances._

 _Many things will happen once you speak these words aloud that you will not understand, and you may not particularly enjoy them. We only request that you keep an open mind and that you remain calm until you understand what has transpired. Your fate will soon be revealed._

 _~ Sincerely,_

 _SoF_

"... This sounds kind of dangerous to me," Raven murmured.

"Okay. Well, let's just leave this alone for now and have breakfast," Kyra smiled slightly. "Eggs, bacon and pancakes! How does that sound, birthday girl?"

"Birthday girl, right..." Raven chuckled wryly. "After last night, I don't have much of an appetite, but that sounds good. Thank you."

"Hey," Kyra laughed, hugging the other girl to her with an arm around her shoulder, "that's what friends are for!" She paused for a moment. "Hey, how are you feeling? We can talk about what happened last night after breakfast if you want."

Raven closed her eyes for a moment, leaning into Kyra. "I think I'm going to be okay, but... do you have any aspirin? I have a _major_ headache."

"Sure thing!" Kyra smiled as they entered the kitchen. "I'll go get the aspirin and you have a piece of toast. You shouldn't take it on an empty stomach. I'll be right back!"

"Okay."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

"So..." Kyra hummed, putting their dishes in the sink. True to her word, Raven hadn't had much of an appetite, but she _did_ eat something, so that satisfied Kyra enough. "What happened this time? I know you come over at weird hours a lot, but _this_... You've never been all bruised and bloody before, and you damn sure never cried like that in front of me before. Should I be calling the police?"

"..." Raven averted her gaze to her lap, wringing her hands together. "... I don't know. I don't think it would change anything. I was kicked out, and I doubt they'll be having another foster child again. I'll have to think on it." She paused for a moment, trembling, before she looked up at her friend. "Kyra, Tyson was really bad this time. I thought he was going to rape me. I got away, and I thought I was safe, but he found me, and... well..." Raven gestured to her swollen face. "I told his mom what he tried to do and she called me a liar and kicked me out. She must have told him and that's why he went after me."

"..." Kyra gritted her teeth and she turned back to the sink, the muscles in her jaw tensed. The sponge didn't much lessen the pain from her nails digging into her palm. "You need to file a police report and press charges. Sexual harassment and assault and battery. He'll only go on to do this to more women if you don't. If not for yourself, do it for them."

"Will they believe me? I don't have any proof he did this. It's his word against mine," Raven sighed. "And when my foster family is questioned, they're just going to keep saying that I'm a drama queen and make things up because I want attention."

"You don't know until you try. The police are not your foster parents," Kyra responded, placing the last dish into the dish rack to dry, switching off the water and turning to her friend. "He has to pay for what he's done."

Raven slowly nodded. "You're right, but what am I going to do now? I'm more concerned with where I'm going to live and how I'm going to eat."

Kyra walked over and put a hand on Raven's, sighing. "We'll talk to my mom. I'm sure she'll let you at least stay here for a little while, maybe longer. Remember, we've been talking about you moving in with us anyway."

"Okay." Raven nodded. "She's at work, right? When will she be back?"

"She usually gets off around five and is home for dinner. Let me give her a call," Kyra answered, picking up her cell phone and walking to another room.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Raven slowly peeked into the open doorway, her eyes on her visibly upset friend as she argued with her mother on the phone. About her. It was always because of her.

When Raven had come to their house the night before, she had knocked on the door very loud and accidentally woken up Kyra's mother. After that, her crying had kept her mother up all night. Her mother sympathized with her situation but was _very_ upset about this. She hadn't been able to get to sleep for awhile and had ended up sleeping past her alarm and been late to work, again.

 _Again_.

 _Because of her_.

Now, her mother was fired because she was late so much.

Because of _her_.

Why did all of this drama revolve around Raven? All she wanted was peace. All she wanted was a family who got along together.

Several minutes of arguing later, Kyra reentered the kitchen, visibly upset. She spotted her friend in a position she seemed to be gravitating towards lately: sitting on the floor with her knees hugged to her chest and her head dropped down.

"She said you can stay for a few days but that's it. She also said that now that she lost her job, she can't afford to feed all three of us. Don't worry about it though, I have a part time job so I'll help you out until you get a job, too. It's going to be okay." Kyra said quietly, gently rubbing her friend's shoulder. "Let's change the subject. How about that book? Where could it have come from? I still don't get that. You sure you didn't maybe bring it here with you? Maybe someone at your old house had given it to you?"

Raven looked up at her friend, sighing. "I've never even _seen_ it before and I most definitely didn't bring it here."

"Well... how about we have a little fun and do what it said?" Kyra smiled. "No biggy, just play around a bit?"

"Something feels _off_ about that book, Kyra. I'm not sure if it's a good idea." Raven muttered.

"Oh, come _on_! What's the worst that could happen? It could be fun!" Kyra smiled, gently squeezing her shoulder. "You said the symbol was from that anime you like, right? Who knows, maybe you'll get your own 'Black Butler' to come to your rescue!" The blonde giggled, winking and nudging her friend.

"Wh- _what_?!" Raven gaped. "It's just a show! Don't be ridiculous!"

"Great! I'll get the candles!" Kyra laughed, sauntering off. "You get the book!"

"Wait! Shouldn't we do something nice for your mom like cleaning the house really well before she comes back?!" Raven called to her friend.

"Nope, won't work! Tried that before already!" Her friend called back. "Besides, the house is already clean! Now stop complaining and get the damned book!"

Shaking her head, Raven sighed. What was the worst that could happen?

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Kyra hummed happily, lighting the candles they had placed in a pentagram on the uncarpeted floor in the basement. Raven was seated in the center of the pentagram, the book opened on her lap. After lighting the candles, Kyra sat in front of her.

"This should be good! What does it say to do next?" Kyra beamed.

"It says not to let go of the book under any circumstances, and to speak the words aloud," Raven responded, skimming over the words.

Kyra huddled close to her friend, humming as she read the words. "I nominate you for saying them. It looks like gibberish to me. Ooh! Since it says to hold on to the book no matter what, I should hold onto it too!" Kyra exclaimed, placing her hands firmly over her friend's. "Like this! Ooh, I wonder what's going to happen! If anything, that is! Haha!"

Raven sighed. "A strange book appears in my arms after last night, and it has a strange symbol on it. The book is blank when I go through it at first, then words appear after I tell you about it. Now we're doing what this strange book tells us to. Do forgive me if I say this is the stupidest thing we've ever done."

Kyra laughed. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"Famous last words," Raven replied, closing her eyes and sighing.

"The candles are burning, my dear," Her friend smiled. "Let's do this."

Raven sighed again and opened her eyes, staring at the book that felt heavy in her hands.

" _Sors non est genus suum, qui tamen fatum non est mentitus._ " She stated, and gasped as a chill went up her body and the ominous feeling she had been having seemed to grow. She gulped and looked at her friend, who stared at her intently and nodded for her to continue. "... _Sors in manibus... meris animam... meam creditum est mihi, et sic ire in tenebras_."

Darkness enveloped the room as the candles suddenly went out with no warning, and the girls' hands tightened on the book.

Words could not describe the pure _evil_ Raven sensed surrounding her, seemingly teasing her. Her breath came in short gasps and she froze, her eyes wide. She welcomed the peace that came with unconsciousness when it came.


	3. Chapter Three

_**Chapter Three:**_ _  
_ _Welcome to London_

* * *

 _Ice blue eyes slowly opened, a sigh_ escaping the girl's lips as she sat up, softly grunting in pain, a hand holding her stomach. She frowned, looking down at herself, and noticed the book beside her. Without hesitation, a hand darted out and snatched it up, and she held it close to herself.

Raven slowly exhaled, closing her eyes tightly. " _Well, my head_ really _hurts, now._ "

Her eyes snapped open. "Kyra?"

The raven-haired girl stood swiftly, looking around, wincing as pain shot through her head and stomach.

"... Raven?" A drowsy voice replied. "Was that you?"

It was faint, as though it were far away. She struggled to peer through the darkness, walking slowly in the direction her friend's voice had come from. "Yeah, it's me..."

"Oh my gosh, the stars are so pretty tonight!" Kyra exclaimed suddenly. "Look!"

With a sigh, Raven, paused and looked up. Stars littered the night sky - far more than she had ever seen. Her breath was taken away from her in a moment, even from the small view she could see past these buildings. "Where _are_ we...?" She whispered.

"Let me get out my cell phone and use the flashlight," Kyra responded. A few moments later, a light flashed on. Raven gasped and covered her eyes. "Ouch. Yeah. Bright." Kyra grumbled, her own eyes squeezing shut. "Plus you have a major headache. Sorry."

"It's okay," she muttered, squinting open her eyes after a few moments.

"Raven, I've a feeling we're not in Benton anymore!" Kyra exclaimed sarcastically.

Raven slowly exhaled through her nose. "No, _really_?"

"Time to be serious," Kyra nodded. "What do you think happened? Where do you think we are?"

"To be quite frank? I have no idea," The young girl responded. "All I remember is we did what this weird book said, we passed out, and boom! Here we are!"

" _The book_!" Kyra exclaimed. "Maybe it says something! Let's look!"

Raven nodded, holding the book in front of her as Kyra moved the flashlight over the book. Raven flipped through the pages, and went past the page that had started it all.

 _~London, England  
October 22, 1888_~

" _ **WITCHES!**_ "

The sound of a whistle permeated the night air.

" _ **OH, SHIT! RUN!**_ "

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

A gloved hand closed around the doorknob of a tailoring shop, turning and pulling. It was locked.

Officer Marston hummed and nodded, satisfied, and continued on, making for the next shop, peering at the windows to ensure they were intact and have not been invaded. Next to the tailor's was a barber. After a quick inspection, all seemed secure with that one as well.

" _The book!_ "

Officer Marston paused mid-step, listening intently. He was fairly certain he had heard a female's voice.

"... _Says... Look!_ "

He couldn't quite make heads or tails of what they were saying. They seemed to have a strange manner of speaking as well. Something... didn't seem quite right.

The voices were coming from the nearby alleyway, and so he headed over there and peeked inside.

What he saw, he would never forget.

Two women, one _extremely_ inappropriately dressed, were huddled together around a book.

The inappropriately dressed one held her hand over the book, and a bright stream of light shone from it, illuminating the book and casting eerie shadows over their faces.

The officer took a step back, eyes wide, and dropped his lantern to the ground.

"W... _**WITCHES!**_ "

Without hesitation, he took out and blew his whistle to alert the other watchmen to the very real threat before his eyes. The shorter one immediately reached out, touching the taller woman's hand and the light was extinguished as she yelled to run.

He had never been so afraid for his life.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

The girls panted, sweat dripping from their brows as they slipped inside a livery stable, very careful not to wake up the young boy who was sleeping inside. They climbed up the ladder to the loft and huddled in the back, behind stacks of hay.

They leaned against the wall, struggling to catch their breath.

"What the Hell is going on?!" Kyra hissed.

"London, England, in 1888," Raven breathed. "That's what the book said, and that man called us witches because he saw the light from your cell phone."

Kyra stared at her friend expectantly.

"The cell phone is going to have to go."

" _No way_ ," Kyra glowered.

" _Who are you going to call_? What are you going to do with it? If we get caught or brought in for questioning, do you honestly think _that cell phone_ will help our case at all? No. If we're caught with that cell phone, that will be _proof_ to them of us being witches," Raven retorted. "Would you like to be drowned, on purpose? Or perhaps burned at the stake? A lot of people in this era still believe in witches."

Kyra looked down at her phone. "I have a lot of pictures in here I don't want to lose."

"Aren't they saved on the cloud back at home?" Raven rose an eyebrow.

"Well, yeah, but-"

"Then it's fine!" Raven sighed. "Priorities. We also need proper clothes. We stick out like a sore thumb like this - especially you. With those garters, you look like you're in your undergarments in this era. Even my clothes are weird, even though it's a dress that even goes below my knees."

"You mean you want _me_ to wear a _dress_?!" The blonde hissed. "Are you out of your _mind_?"

"No, I'm simply analyzing our situation and adjusting accordingly," her friend whispered back. "We are in an unknown situation. From the information we have, we cannot afford to be drawing unnecessary attention to ourselves."

"Well, either way, how am I supposed to dispose of my phone, and where will we get these ' _proper clothes_ ' you insist on?" Kyra glared. "You don't suggest we _steal_ them, do you?"

"We should bury the phone, and as for the clothes..." Raven looked down, concentration evident on her face. "We're women. We don't have any money. We can't even speak properly in this country and era. The only option we have is thievery at this point, and we can make up for it later. Unless, of course, you want to prostitute yourself for money. Not only that, but by now, that man should have made it known that he saw us and now they think witches are running around London!"

"I'm sure they'll just think he's a random crazy!" Her friend insisted. "Who wouldn't? Some random - likely drunken - man running around screaming ' _witches_ '?"

"He looked, from his silhouette, like a police officer," Raven replied gravely, wariness clear in her eyes. "He wasn't some random drunken shmoe. He even had a lantern.. _and the whistle_. Police officers at that time used the whistles to communicate with each other, hence the reason _we ran like Hell was at our heels_."

It was Kyra's turn to slowly look down at her hands and leaned heavily against the wooden walls, exhausted. "Alright. We'll do it your way."

Raven sighed. "Thank you, Kyra."

"Uh huh," the blonde replied. "I'm tired."

"The best time to steal is at night. It's dark and people are sleeping, whatever time it is now. It doesn't matter, anyway; we need it _now_."

"Where will we get them?"

"It's 1888. People hang their clothes out to dry, often overnight," Raven replied, glancing down to reassure herself that the child was still sleeping. "We'll go snatch a dress and put it on immediately. We'll bury the clothes with the phone."

"Yes, ma'am."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

The two girls waited rather impatiently as the young boy led the horses away to hook them up to the carriages. Once he was out of sight - along with anyone else, they quickly and quietly slipped out of the stables. Noticing some old apples on the way out, Raven snatched two of them, handing one to a shocked Kyra.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to one of the horses, "but we really need this more than you right now."

After they successfully escaped from the stable without being noticed, Kyra gently nudged her friend. "Where are we going?"

Raven hummed. "Exploring. We'll be quiet, watch and listen. We'll have to learn how to imitate the local accent to fit in, to begin with. We have to learn our way around to see what's available to us if we're going to survive."

Kyra sighed. "Watching and listening is more your thing than mine."

The black haired girl smiled gently and placed a hand on her friend's arm. "I know, but please just deal with it for now and eat your apple."

"Yes, ma'am."

The girls quickly finished their apples and tossed the cores behind a nearby bush when no one was looking.

"Kyra, for now, we have no choice but to steal food. I have never stolen before all of this happening. Have you?"

Kyra blinked several times, then looked at her friend angrily. "No, I have _not_ , thank you very much!"

"We are so screwed…" Raven bemoaned.

"Ooh, yeah." Kyra agreed, sighing. "We were screwed from the moment we got here. What are we going to do?"

Kyra blinked when her friend didn't answer her. She looked back at her friend, who had stopped walking a few paces behind her

"... Raven?"

Her eyes snapped back to her friend. "I'm sorry. It's just that that woman looked very... _familiar_."

"What do you mean?" Kyra asked.

"She looked like Madame Red from Kuroshitsuji." Raven responded shortly. "I'm sure it's just a coincidence."

Her friend snickered at this. "Are you sure? You may just be getting your own 'Black Butler' after all!"

"That's not funny at all!" Raven growled. Kyra's eyes widened in shock. "It's funny if it's a story. It's not if it's real."

"O...kay?" Kyra said tentatively, a worried crease forming in her brow.

"It's impossible anyway. It's not real." Raven huffed. "It's a story. Let's keep exploring."

"Yes, ma'am," Kyra repeated for the umpteenth time that day, rolling her eyes slightly at her friend. "Where was she, anyway?"

"She walked into there," Raven gestured to the shop they were passing by, dragging her friend along when she tried peeking in the window.

"Ooh, you're right! She _does_ look like that lady!"

By this time, they were receiving _many_ strange looks, and Raven did not hesitate to give her best friend _the look_.

"Sorry..." Kyra quieted down again, and Raven began doing what she did best: watching and listening.

" _My, did you hear of Lady Annabelle the other day...?_ "

There was pointless gossip.

" _There's been another girl found? How horrible! Who could have done this?!_ "

There was talk of crime going on.

" _Did you hear of what happened last night? Officer Marston was so upset! And there were so many bobbies searching around the neighborhood._ "

" _Really? What possibly could have happened?_ "

" _There are witches in London! The poor man saw them himself last night. He was beside himself. Said he never believed until he saw it for himself._ "

" _Witches? Real witches? Sir Jeoffrey, you must hear this! It's absolutely terrifying!_ "

Raven grit her teeth, once again giving Kyra _the look_. " _Now_ do you understand?"

Kyra nodded quickly. "Yes, ma'am."

They began walking quickly away from everybody. Raven glanced side to side, feeling extremely uneasy. She attributed it to the conversation she had just overheard, but wasn't quite sure. Something didn't feel quite right. They turned the corner, determined to find some place private to talk, and froze in their tracks.

A _very_ _familiar_ , young, well-dressed boy wearing an eyepatch and holding a walking stick was being assisted out of a carriage by a _very_ _familiar_ black clad man. The young boy, without hesitation, began walking towards a _very familiar_ shop in the middle of the block. The butler turned, a smirk on his lips as he followed the young boy inside.

The girls turned to stare at each other, their eyes wide and their mouths agape.

Raven slowly bowed down her head for a moment before snapping her gaze to her friend's eyes and grabbing her arm.

" _ **Run.**_ "


	4. Chapter Four

_**Chapter Four:**_ _  
_ _Me, a Thief?_

* * *

 _Raven ignored the stares_ they were getting as they dashed as far as they could away from where Ciel and Sebastian were. At this moment, she couldn't care _less_ about them. All she wanted to do was get away from them.

"Hold up!" Kyra exclaimed. "Why are we running from them?!"

Raven pulled her into an alleyway, and after a glance about decided they had enough privacy and bent over, her book clattering to the ground as she placed one hand on the wall and the other arm gripped around her abdomen as she wheezed heavily.

"Are you okay?" Kyra asked tentatively, gently placing a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Yeah, just... out of breath," Raven gasped. She turned her head, wincing in pain. She felt a bit weak, and her stomach really hurt, but she refused to let Kyra see that. She had to be strong. Kyra needed her.

"If you say so..." Kyra hummed, not taking her eyes off of her.

"Anyway... Kyra, that was Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis." Raven grunted.

"I know," Kyra replied, an eyebrow risen. "I've watched a few episodes of Black Butler with you... but that story was just pretend. How in the world are we in their world? This just isn't _possible_."

Raven closed her eyes, sighing. "The impossible just _became_ possible. This is our new reality. As for how it's possible-" Raven picked up the book, "- _this_. This is his Faustian Contract symbol. I don't know how, and I most certainly don't know why, and, quite frankly, I'm not sure if I care to know, but I'm certain it has to do with _this_. I do, however, know this for a fact: _we are staying the Hell away from them_."

"But maybe he can help us get home! He _does_ have powers!" Kyra said earnestly.

"What, in exchange for our _souls_?" Raven glared. " _He is. A fucking._ _ **Demon.**_ Cute as a story, but _this is reality._ _ **He's a fucking demon.**_ "

Kyra rolled her eyes. "Oh, come _on_. Why would he want to hurt _us_? We're just two random girls!"

"Oh, I don't know, _it's just what demons do_!" Raven replied sarcastically.

"Raven, he's incredibly polite and a gentleman. So is Ciel. As long as we don't piss them off, it's fine!" Kyra groaned, then squeaked in surprise when Raven grabbed her shoulders tightly and moved their faces near each other.

" _ **What part of 'he's a fucking demon' don't you understand?!**_ " She growled. "This is not just a story now! This is our reality now! The reality is that _demons kill for fun_. The reality is that _no_ , Sebastian is _not_ a polite gentleman! Sebastian is a **demon** who made a contract with a **child**. To _kill_ the people who did that to Ciel's family, and in return, Sebastian will get to _**devour Ciel's soul**_. Sebastian is _evil_. This is not a game! We _need_ to stay _very far away_ from them, for our own safety!"

Kyra sighed, rolling her eyes once more. " _Yes, ma'am_."

"You've _seen_ a few of the episodes. Did you notice how much violence was in each of the episodes? Do you want that to be your _life_?" Raven scowled.

"No, ma'am," Kyra pouted.

"I didn't think so." Raven sucked in a breath, looking down. "Have you sensed this feeling of... foreboding, or... dread, ever since we got here?" She glanced up in time to see Kyra slowly nodding. "I think that's from _him_. When we were walking towards where we saw them, I felt... _something_. It was like I _sensed_ that something... _dark_ was over there. I've felt evil things before, but... never something _that_... _strong_. Like I said, we need to stay _away_ from them. Especially _him_."

Kyra was silent for a moment, staring at her best friend. "Then why were we brought here?"

"... I don't know." Raven nearly whispered. "But it can't be good."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Raven yawned, pushing herself up, glancing out the treehouse's window. The sun was just beginning to rise, meaning they had to sneak out of there very soon, else they might be found out. She sighed, shaking her friend awake.

"Ughh.. want to sleep more..."

"We have to go."

"Five more minutes..." Kyra whined, smacking Raven's hand aside.

Raven closed her eyes and sighed, leaning against the wall of the tree house, a hand moving to her stomach.

 _So hungry._

They had not gotten any chances to steal or otherwise get food since the two apples Raven swiped yesterday morning. They were getting _very_ hungry, _very_ thirsty, and weak.

"Come on, we need to find food and water," she whispered, tugging on her friend's arm.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming..."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

When Kyra finally got moving, she told Raven to stay in the treehouse. She was worried about her as Raven seemed to tire so easily and was very pale.

She went down to scout around just a bit. She seemed to remember seeing a garden of sorts closer to the house and thought she might be able to pick something for the two of them. Off to the side of the garden, playing in the shade, was a very young toddler banging on pans with a wooden spoon. She was grateful for the racket at the moment.

Staying close to the bushes on the side of the land, she snuck up closer to the large home. There was someone, likely a maid, picking things in the garden!

Yes, there was food here!

The maid suddenly looked up and ran over to pick up the child.

' _Oh, no. I didn't make a noise, did I?'_ Kyra thought, worried.

The maid called out, "Yes, M'lady, right away!" and quickly went inside, taking one basket with her free hand but leaving another.

Kyra quickly crept up and looked at what was there.

Potatoes!

She grabbed a few and scanned the rest of the garden. It looked as if the rest of what was ripe enough to eat was already taken inside. Not sure if it was safe to eat unripe tomatoes, she settled on just the potatoes for now and quickly made a dash back to the treehouse.

"Raven! Look!" Kyra said as she showed off what she had snatched: a pot and a few potatoes.

"Where did you get that?" exclaimed Raven. After Kyra explained, Raven rolled her eyes.

"Need I remind you that just a while ago, you were so offended that I even asked you if you've ever stolen something? And _now_ , you're stealing a pot from a baby," Raven drawled, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

Kyra blinked. " _Me_ , a _thief_? Oh, no no no! I'm _borrowing_ it, just like the bucket we got yesterday by that water pump. I _fully_ intend on returning this... eventually." The last word was muttered under her breath.

"Kyra," Raven said, putting a hand on the girl's arm, "thank you."

Brushing this off with a slight smile and nod to her friend, Kyra declared she would be the chef for the night and began washing the potatoes. "I saw a creek not too far from here, Raven. When it gets dark we can go take a rinse or bath, whatever you want to call it."

Raven nodded. "That sounds perfect. It's been a while since we got to wash ourselves, and we are _dirty_ ," she shivered.

"I don't know if we should go out exploring today. You look rather pale and I know we are both still pretty tired," Kyra said with concern.

"Kyra, I'm alright," Raven sighed, "but the last few days _have_ been kind of... _stressful_ , so maybe we _should_ take a day off to relax and get our heads together."

"I know we still need a lot of things, like blankets, but I do think the rest will do us both some good."

"Yeah," Raven nodded. "We'll rest a bit and have a 'bath' of sorts tonight."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

The girls stepped into the creek, shivering against the cold. The cool night air only reminded them of why they needed to find blankets sooner rather than later.

The clouds that were covering the moon opened up, releasing the moon's light. Raven turned away from Kyra, biting a lip.

She hadn't even been able to finish one of the potatoes Kyra had cooked, which was a shame, as they had been delicious. She hadn't had a chance until now to remove her dress and take a look at her stomach.

Kyra looked up at the sky and exclaimed to Raven, "Look at that beautiful sky! I have never seen so many stars!"

Raven stared at her stomach, fear bubbling up in her chest as she examined her wound. "Oh, yes, it's beautiful. The stars are brilliant. You can see so many more because we don't have the street lights and pollution like back home," she replied absentmindedly.

On her stomach in the spot that Tyson had repeatedly kicked her in rested an ugly, dark purple bruise roughly the size of her palm. It looked as if it were swelling as well, but she wasn't sure as recently her vision had been getting fuzzy and then going back to normal, so it was hard to concentrate on it. All she knew is that she wanted to go back to sleep.

She briefly considered telling Kyra but decided against it. She had to be strong for her friend.

On the way home, Kyra spotted some hay in a shed, and they both grabbed some to carry home so that they'd have at least _some_ bedding. Sleeping on the hard wooden floor was not doing their backs any good.

Before they hit the hay, they discussed other essentials they would need to keep watch for the next day.

Raven sighed as she closed her eyes. She was very worried about their future... especially since she was hurt. What would Kyra do if something bad really happened to her?

Her head snapped up. She hadn't checked the book recently!

Quietly so that she wouldn't wake her sleeping companion, she pulled over the book and opened it, quickly flipping to the most recent page that told her where they were. Taking a deep breath, she turned the page.

 _84 Charing Cross Road_


	5. Chapter Five

_**Chapter Five:**_ _  
Wait and See_

* * *

 _Kyra yawned, stretching as she sat up_ and looked around the small tree house. Her eyebrows furrowed when she saw the sleeping figure that was Raven curled up beside her, the book clutched tightly to her chest.

Huh.

Raven usually woke up far before Kyra did. She must have been _really_ tired to still be asleep.

With that thought, Kyra decided to make some more potatoes and just let her friend sleep more.

Kyra hummed, taking the boiled potatoes out to dry and cool off a bit. It had taken about 20 minutes in total to both get the water to a boil and boil the potatoes until they were tender.

She frowned at her still sleeping friend. It felt weird to be the first one awake when Raven was usually waking her up.

Another 10 minutes passed and Kyra was getting increasingly worried. This was not like her friend at all.

' _Come on, wake up already!_ ' She thought, poking one of the potatoes. "Get up, these things are going to get cold!" She huffed, turning to her friend... who didn't react, continuing to simply lie there. "Raven! _Raven_! C'mon, get up, sleepyhead!" She exclaimed, moving over to her friend on her knees. "The potatoes are done!"

The blonde sighed as she knelt over Raven, watching the even ups and downs of her chest. Her skin was pale and slightly clammy, and dark circles were beginning to form under her eyes.

"Honestly, girl, you're worrying me..." She sighed. "I'm going to have to find a doctor. _How_ am I supposed to find a doctor in London in the year 1888 when I don't have any money to pay them with? What am I supposed to _do_?" Kyra placed a hand on Raven's head, gently running her fingers through her hair. "Why are you so against approaching Ciel and Sebastian when they could help us? I still don't understand."

Suddenly, a look of determination crossed her face and she stood, making her way for the tree house's exit.

"I'm going to go find them!"

No sooner did the words leave her lips than a loud _thud_ made her jump and turn around, eyes wide.

Raven was turned slightly, a fist on the ground where she had obviously smacked it.

" _Don't. You._ _ **Dare**_." The words came out as a growl.

"And _why the Hell not_?!" Kyra demanded.

"Because he's _from_ Hell!" Raven retorted, sitting up and glaring at her friend. "And really, do you think _good_ things come from _Hell_? _Why can't you understand this_?! Need I remind you that _he's a fucking demon_!"

"No reminding needed, but you can't seem to say one word without the other anymore." Kyra rose an eyebrow. "But what if he's a _good_ demon?"

"..." Raven stared blankly at her friend for a _very_ long moment.

" _What_?!" Kyra asked defensively. "It could happen!"

"..." Raven slowly closed her eyes, resting her face in her palm, and sighed. "Kyra... _Really_? A _good_ demon...?"

"Well... yeah."

"The fact that you just said 'good' and 'demon' in one sentence, together, with that kind of meaning, aside, we are talking about the man who takes pleasure in seeing his master suffering, smiled widely as he burned down a mansion with living little children in it, kills people without hesitation, and otherwise has more than likely killed thousands, if not millions, of people. Not to mention that, if this the _anime_ and not the _manga_ , he confessed to being the cause of the Black Death plague. Yeah, he is a _really_ good demon, actually. You just want to be BFF's with him, don't you?" Raven replied, sarcasm once again dripping from her tone.

"Well..." Kyra sighed, looking away for a moment before turning and staring at her friend in the eyes. "I think the book _wants_ us to meet him. Why else would we be here? Why else would his symbol be _on_ it?"

"Well then, maybe, just _maybe_ , it's _an evil book_ ," Raven huffed. "Oh, by the way, there's an address in it."

"Wait, what?" Kyra perked up. "Let's go there!"

"... Can I have one of those potatoes first?" Raven asked meekly, pointing discreetly at the cooked potatoes.

"Oh, sure!" Kyra chirped, walking over and giving one to her.

Today, the potato was finished.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

The girls were ecstatic. Upon reaching the address, they found an empty street with dry blankets up on a line to... well... _dry_. After double checking they were alone, they snatched a few up and darted back to the tree house to keep them there. With this find, both their mood and morale had gotten a nice boost.

"See, it's _not_ an evil book!" Kyra boasted. "It's helping us!"

With that, Raven looked at the book clutched in her arms again, beginning to see it in a new light. She opened it again to the page the blanket's address had been on.

 _London Joint Stock Bank_

 _5 Princes Street, London_

Raven gasped, her eyes widening as the words manifested before her eyes.

"What happened?" Kyra asked, looking up from folding the blankets when she heard her friend's gasp.

"Mo... More words just appeared! Just like that! It looked like someone was writing it before my eyes but there wasn't a hand or pen or anything!" Raven blurted, half tempted to throw the book across the room. "That's so creepy!"

Kyra peeked over her shoulder. "... _5 Princes Street, London_? So ' _London Joint Stock Bank_ ' is on Princes Street? And it's a bank! How can this be bad?"

Raven shrugged, eyeing the book. "It _did_ help us find blankets..."

"Yeah! Let's go!" Kyra cheered, giddy with excitement. They were finally getting somewhere! Yay, weird book!

Raven looked over at her excited friend, trying to figure out how to get through to her the danger they were in. She decided to just go with it for now. After all, as the said, the book _had_ already gotten them much-needed blankets. "Okay, but we need to look for shoes for you, and a knife for cooking."

"Yuh-huh!" Kyra agreed, already heading down the ladder after peeking around to make sure no one was watching. Raven mentally groaned and followed, slowly and painfully making her way down as well. The ladder was no help to her headache nor to her bruised stomach.

Once her feet hit the ground, she quietly gasped, leaning against the ladder as a wave of dizziness and nausea took hold. Her eyes squeezed shut as she willed the potato to stay down.

Kyra silently stared at her friend, _wanting_ to help, _wanting_ to ask her if she was okay, but knowing she wouldn't get a truthful answer. "Okay, let's go to the bank!" She said cheerfully, turning back around to pretend she hadn't noticed. ' _And pray there's help for Raven at that bank_.'

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Raven shivered as they drew closer to Princes Street. She had a sinking feeling that she knew _exactly_ where that bank was, but she was hoping she was wrong. The closer they got, the stronger this feeling of dread grew.

No...not dread; just _evil_. Plain and simple evil. Now, she was even more sure she knew what to expect.

And, when they turned the corner, there he was.

She sucked in a breath as she watched Ciel walk into of the bank, an annoyed expression on his face. Her eyes darted to the dark figure holding the door, who was watching the boy with an impassive expression.

Raven gripped Kyra's arm and began to turn and walk straight back from where they came from when the butler's red eyes snapped to her.

Raven felt her body become rigid as her heart began beating quickly. The injury on her stomach seemed to begin to beat along with her heart, her head aching in sync.

He was _watching her_. She could _**feel him**_.

She slowly turned around to look, though she knew she didn't need to, just as they turned to leave.

He was there.

He was watching her.

He was taking a step towards them...

... but suddenly stopped, annoyance flashing on his face as he seemed to remember something.

He moved back, briefly glancing at Ciel before looking back at the girls, more specifically Raven, a look of curiosity on his face.

Raven shivered. His eyes felt as though they were burning a hole in her back as she swiftly walked away, Kyra in tow.

Raven's tone was dark when she spoke a few blocks away. "We'll talk about what just happened later, when we're back at the tree house."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Sebastian stared after his master, who was marching into the bank, impassively. The young master had ordered him to stay at the door and await his return.

He absently noted two young ladies across the street who looked as though they were about to walk this way when they stopped dead in their tracks, the shorter one gripping the taller one's forearm as she began walking back the same way they had come.

This caught his attention.

Why had she seemed so afraid just now?

Ah, she felt his eyes on her, he mused as she stopped moving. Hmm... The longer he looked at her, the more he thought he felt... _something_ from her. Perhaps he should take a closer look?

The young lady slowly turned around to look at him as he took a step forward before he sighed, remembering his young master's order.

" _Sebastian, wait here for me until I come back._ "

' _How troublesome indeed_ ,' he thought as the two scurried away. He did want to take a closer look and see why they seemed so interesting.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

The girls had spent the rest of the day trying to find food and had managed to find some carrots and mushrooms. They were happy to have at least some color in their food this night. It was proving to be difficult to steal things when the pockets to hide things in were under the skirt (part of the petticoat), but they were making do for now.

Raven spent the better part of the day trying to figure out what this book wanted from them. Is the book evil or good? What did the first phrasing mean about fate? All this thinking only made her head pound even more.

Raven was startled from her thoughts when something wet hit her face. She blinked and wiped it off.

"... Please tell me it's not raining," Raven bemoaned.

"It's no-" Kyra began. She slowly sighed, wiping a drop off her forehead while she glanced around, seeing other wet spots around and people commenting on the weather. "It's raining."

"Damnit."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

The girls had to remind themselves that the tree house did _not_ belong to them and they did _not_ have permission to be on the owner's property, else they may have simply rushed in and been found out.

Needless to say, they entered the tree house soaking wet, and their shoes were covered in mud from the unpaved roads. Walking swiftly while having to lift up their dresses from the wet ground was no easy feat.

Entering the tree house was only a minor relief. Rain still came in from the "window" and leaked a little bit from the walls and roof. The straw was wet, so they begrudgingly pushed it to the side. It was nice while it lasted. The girls unloaded the food they had... _acquired_... next to the pot, and Kyra shooed Raven away when she tried to help.

"So," Kyra sighed, sitting down as she lit their makeshift contained fire, placing the pot over it and filling it with a bit of water from their bucket, "what did you want to talk about?"

Raven sighed, placing the book on her lap., front cover up. She stared quietly at the mark before answering. "I don't understand this book. It led us to this world and even told us where and _when_ we were. I thought it was evil, and then it helped us get blankets - which are, by the way, now thoroughly soaked from the water dripping in - but _then_ , it led us to _Sebastian_ , the _demon_."

" _Or_ , maybe the book led us to the bank so we would _know_ that Sebastian and Ciel are here. Maybe it didn't know we saw them before, so it was warning us," Kyra offered.

"One would think that if it can bring us to another universe and tell us when and where it was, it could simply say, 'Hey, by the way, there's an evil demon here along with his mentally ill master!'" Raven countered.

"Well, you do have a point," Kyra amended. "I guess we'll have to wait and see."

Raven sighed. "I'm getting tired of waiting and seeing."

"Funny, coming from _you_ ," Kyra chuckled. "Let's have something to eat and head to sleep."

Just then, the tree house briefly lit up.

Moments later, a loud clap of thunder boomed across the skies.


	6. Chapter Six

_**Chapter Six:**_ _  
_ _Why Did It Have To Be A Cat?_

* * *

 _The sun was shining brightly in the morning_ so the girls hung their soaked dresses on the side of the tree house to dry. Afternoon came and it proved to be a hot and sunny day. Kyra was getting quite antsy from sitting around all morning. Raven had given up trying to keep her busy; it was exhausting just _watching_ Kyra with her never-ending well of energy.

"Finally, the skirts are dry! We can get dressed and do something now," Kyra whined.

Raven had been just fine simply leaning up against the wall of the tree house, almost laying down. She knew she needed to get up and be active, but she was tired still and felt weak, her head still pounding. She got dressed, grabbed the book (it had become the norm to not leave it laying around. It was always with her) and went down to meet Kyra, who was nagging at her to hurry up.

The goals for the day: find boots/shoes for Kyra, food and perhaps a fork/knife/spoon or more, and perhaps some teacups or some form of glass to drink from, and any additional clothing, considering the drenching they received the last night.

They started walking towards the merchant area of London once again. Kyra was chatting away, and Raven really was only half listening when she began to feel almost a tingle up and down the arm that was carrying the book.

The book was emitting something... almost like an aura, seemingly urging her to open it up. Darkness seemed to be enveloping it.

Raven sucked in a breath, her eyes wide. "Uhm... Kyra... _Look_!" Kyra was a few steps ahead of her and obligingly turned to her friend. "Kyra, do you _see this_?" she whispered.

Her friend rose an eyebrow, shaking her head no. "Nope, but if you see something, you should open it and look. It must have written something and wants you to read it." What was Raven seeing that she couldn't? Raven seemed quite alarmed.

Raven opened the book, feeling rather afraid. Spanning the top of the page was a beautiful yet haunting drawing of a cat, its body language making the cat look cornered and afraid; its fur was fluffed and his ears drawn back, his tail held low, nearly between his legs. " _ **Save Me!**_ " was scrawled underneath the picture. Underneath _that_ were the words ' _Idol Lane_ ' - a very small side street not far from the church that had gone to yesterday.

Why on earth did this book want them to save a cat, and from what?

"Well at least we have a destination to go to, now," Kyra offered.

"Yup," Raven nodded in agreement, though she was very wary of the book's intentions.

They altered their direction slightly and were off to be heroes to a feline.

When they arrived at their destination, there weren't any animals of any kind in sight. There was a gazebo in the general area, so Raven walked over to it and sat down. She was thinking of laying down for a nap and letting Kyra be the lookout to watch over her, but Kyra was wandering around whispering "Here kitty, kitty! We're here to save you as ordered!"

Raven chuckled at the silly sight and just leaned back and closed her eyes, silently telling herself that things would get better and wishing she had had a bottle of aspirin in her pocket when they got transported here. Her head was only feeling worse rather than better.

Off in the distance, she heard a dog barking.

Kyra called to her, "Still no kitty!"

"That's fine, don't give up," Raven answered, massaging her forehead as she winced in pain. She felt as though someone was repeatedly stabbing her brain with little daggers.

Kyra kept looking for the cat, hoping it wouldn't take too long. "Does that dog sound closer to you, Raven? I hope it isn't heading this way; it sounds big and mean."

Raven paused, listening to the yipping dog from the distance, before chuckling at her friend. "No worries, I will protect you from the vicious poodle" Kyra and dogs just didn't mix well. It had always been like that. Repressing a groan, Raven slowly stood up, her hands moving to her knees for support until she stood up all the way and picked her book back up.

"Oh, look at this!" Kyra exclaimed. "These flowers are gorgeous!"

"Is that so?" Raven hummed, walking over to her. "Yeah, they're very pre-! Ack!" She cried out as a dark shadow suddenly darted between them. "What in the-!"

"RUFF RUFF RUFF RUFF!" A deep, gruff voice roared. "RUFFRUFFRUFFRUFFRUFFRUFF!"

Raven yelped as Kyra screamed yanked her to the side, a _very large_ dog barreling through where she had been standing moments before. The cat darted south and the dog chased after it.

"... _That was a very big doggy_ ," Kyra whimpered.

"..." Raven glowered after the dog, determination swelling in her chest and she shoved her book into Kyra's arms and put all of her strength into following the dog. "BAD DOG! VERY BAD DOG!"

Kyra gaped after her friend, who, not moments before, had looked like she was about to pass out. Now, she was chasing after a big dog who was chasing a cat. "WAIT! RAVEN! WAIT FOR ME!"

The two animals turned down an alley to the right, and the girls turned down the same way. When they reached the alley, they saw it was more of a driveway of sorts but it was a dead end, and the dog had the cat cornered.

Raven's breath came in pants as she stalked toward the dog. " _Bad_ boy. _Bad_ boy. _Shoo_!" She scolded the dog

Kyra had now caught up to Raven, and glowered at the dog, swallowing her fear. She held up the book, stalking closer to the dog and tried to use it to shoo the dog away. "Shoo, shoo!"

The dog growled at her, taking a step forward before its eyes widened and he grew afraid.

"Yipyipyip!" The dog whined.

"SHOO! SHOO!" Kyra hollered, chasing the dog.

The dog froze for a moment at the end of the alley before turning north and sprinting away with his tail between his legs. " _ **YIPE YIPE YIPE YIPE YIPE!**_ "

Raven sighed, kneeling down next to the small black and russet cat and offering her hand to the trembling figure. The cat stared at her for a few moments before leaning forward and sniffing her hand.

The change was dramatic: the cat immediately began to relax, rubbing his head against her hand and, moments later, trying to climb her as he purred loudly.

"Whoa! I think someone likes me!" Raven giggled, cuddling the cat to her and standing up. She continued giggling at the cat's antics and turned when her friend called to her. Her eyes met ones from far away, ones the color of fuchsia.

" _Raven! Raven!_ " Kyra shouted, and Raven hummed, swaying a bit.

"Yeah?" She muttered as she swayed, blinking a few times. "Kyra, I feel kinda funny..." The cat gently nibbled and licked her chin. ' _Bloody Hell... Why did it have to be a cat?_ ' She idly thought.

The girl's eyes glazed over as she began collapsing, the cat deftly jumping out of her arms.

" _ **Raven!**_ " Kyra screamed, her eyes wide as she made a mad dash to her friend, stopping short when she saw what had just happened. " _Oh, no..._ "

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

"Honestly, what a drag," A young noble complained, walking out of the Custom House with his butler. "Perhaps I will hire someone to handle these details. I must find someone I can trust this with. Hah, what a joke."

"Certainly, young master," his butler smirked, bowing slightly with a hand over his chest. He walked past his master to open the carriage's door and held a hand out to aid his young master to enter.

"I'll have some tea and something sweet when we get back to the manor, Sebastian," Ciel instructed, taking his butler's hand and placing a foot on the carriage.

"Of course, you-" Sebastian froze, his eyes narrowing as he tilted his head slightly to the left. The young earl also paused.

"What is it, Sebastian?" He demanded.

"Please excuse me, young master," was all his butler said before he was suddenly thrust into the carriage and his butler disappeared.

"WHA-! _**SEBASTIAN!**_ WAIT JUST A MOMENT! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!"

Ciel grit his teeth together. How _dare_ that demon thrust him into the carriage like he was a sack of potatoes or something of the like? Without hesitation, he hopped back out of the carriage to find him, spotting him not a block over, disappearing down an alleyway.

"Damned demon!"

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Sebastian stared impassively at the girl who was waving a book about at a dog she was chasing out of the alleyway, sparing the dog a disgusted scowl when the dog stopped to look at him and paying it no heed when it ran away, yipping, with its tail between its legs.

Ah, how disgusting dogs were.

No, his attention was grabbed by the beautiful girl at the end of the alleyway.

Oh, how silky and smooth her hair looked. How he just wanted to feel the soft raven locks in his hands.

Ah, how beautiful cats were.

Sebastian smirked as he began making his way toward the black and russet beauty that was the little cat the human girl was holding.

Oh, my! She was the young lady he had seen at the bank just the other day.

Awh, how adorable! The little cat was rubbing her face against the human's. They seemed to be getting along quite well; he could tell by the human's giggles and the cat's purrs.

Strange, he quite enjoyed hearing the human giggling.

Perhaps it had to do with what he had been sensing the other...

Oh.

 _Oh_.

Well... this changed things.

This changed things quite a bit.

A dark smile spread across the demon's face as she slowly turned and their eyes met, yet his smile disappeared quickly as he saw her beginning to sway, the adorable kitten nibbling and licking her chin. Her friend darted past him, yelling her name.

The beautiful cat leapt out of her arms as she began to fall and in an instant he was there, cradling the young lady in his arms.

" _ **Ahh, my lady. You do not seem well."**_


	7. Chapter Seven

_**Chapter Seven:**_ _  
Poor Little Kitten_

* * *

 _A sigh escaped Raven's lips when Sebastian_ tilted her head up and smiled softly at her. Of _course_ he had to be there. Why he had caught her and knelt down with her in his arms like that, she didn't understand.

"I will bring you back to the manor with me," Sebastian spoke gently, adjusting his hold on her and standing. He turned slightly when a hand roughly grabbed his shoulder.

"Hey, what in the Hell do you think you're doing?!" A young lady with rather wild and unkempt blond hair demanded. His eyes slowly slid over the young woman's form, critically analyzing what this young woman's relationship with the young lady in his arms was.

"I do believe I am going to take your mistress back to the manor to care for her and save her life," He responded with a smile.

Kyra blinked several times. "Mistress?"

"Ah, you are not her servant?" Sebastian pondered, his head tilting to the side. "My apologies, miss."

"Servant? Hers? _Me_?" Kyra choked as Sebastian practically dismissed her, walking briskly down the alley back to the street. "Hey! Don't ignore me, you jerk!" Kyra exclaimed, nearly running to follow and catch up to the demon.

"I'm not ignoring you," Sebastian replied. "Do try to keep up."

"Oh, come _on_! Raven, I'm sorry! You were right and I was wrong!"

Sebastian suddenly stopped, and Kyra bumped right into his back. "The young miss truly does not have time for this. Please travel to the manor with the Young Master Ciel. He will be sure to get you there."

" _ **What?!**_ " Kyra shrieked, her eyes bulging as the demon - _along with Raven_ \- simply _vanished_. " _ **SEBASTIAN, YOU SON OF A BITCH!**_ "

Kyra grit her teeth, her eyes bulging.

" _ **CIEL FUCKING PHANTOMHIVE, WHERE ARE YOU?!**_ "

"I'm right here," a young voice responded impassively. Kyra's head snapped to her right where, true to his words, the young Earl stood, staring at her with a thorough deadpan on his face. "May I inquire as to where you know my butler from?"

"I _don't_ ," Kyra growled, her eye twitching sporadically.

"But, by all appearances, it _seems_ that you _do_ ," Ciel responded, an eyebrow quirked.

" _ **I FLIPPING DON'T! THE SON OF A BITCH JUST ABDUCTED MY FRIEND!**_ " Kyra shrieked, reaching down and grasping the lapels of his waistcoat.

Ciel's eyes widened. "What do you think you're doing?! Calm down!"

Kyra's face was quickly becoming _very_ red and she pulled back a fist. "DON'T YOU TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!"

A hand quickly reached behind his back.

"Don't you even _think_ about it!" The blonde growled. "I'm not stupid! I've seen a few of the episodes and I _know_ your tricks! WHERE. IS. MY. FRIEND?! Where did he take her?!"

Ciel's eyes narrowed. Episodes? What was she talking about? "What did he _say_ to you?"

Kyra huffed, glaring at him. "He said he was going to take her to the 'manor' and that you'd take me there. _I don't even know where that is_!"

With that, he smacked her hands off of his waistcoat and turned on his heel. "I do not know what that fool is doing, but if he said he is going back to the manor, he is going back to the manor," Ciel stated smoothly. "Come with me."

As the door to the carriage closed, Ciel stared at the furious and distraught woman who sat across from him, her arms folded across her chest and her foot tapping restlessly against the floor as she looked outside with gritted teeth.

"That damned demon."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Raven groaned quietly as Sebastian gently laid her down on a soft bed.

"Goodness, look at you," he mused. "You are so injured yet you tried so hard to put on a brave front for the other woman."

Raven's eyes slowly came into focus in time to see the demon kneeling on the bed over her, a hand placed on either side of her head.

"I have to admit that it is slightly admirable, though you are absolutely horrible at feigning you were unhurt," he chuckled. "I find it hard to understand why humans do this to themselves. If you had admitted you were hurt and found a doctor, you likely wouldn't be in this situation - and I am quite aware that you don't want to be."

Raven's breath was coming out in small gasps. "Just... please, don't hurt her..."

Sebastian was taken aback, and a bit confused. "My lady, I have no intentions of harming _either_ of you."

He lifted his right hand and gently stroked her face. "Ah... When I look at you up close like this, you look so innocent, like a little kitten," he smirked. "I apologize, my lady, for what you are about to see and what I am about to do, however it is necessary for your health and safety."

As he spoke, his pupils became slit like a cat's, and his eyes emitted a haunting fuschia. Deep, pure darkness began emanating from him like fog off of a lake, mimicking the way that it rolled so menacingly from the water. Within moments, the entire room was enveloped in this darkness.

The fog-like darkness parted as a shadowed head leaned down towards Raven, its lips slightly parted. " _ **Ah, you needn't be so afraid, kitten. I promise that I won't ever harm you.**_ "

Fear seemed to race through Raven's body when she heard his voice.

 _His voice_.

Beautiful.

Seductive.

Enchanting.

It was all of these things, yet when he spoke, even more than the pressure of his _aura_ , something in his voice screamed to her very core, _**evil**_.

His voice was seductive, yet it dripped of danger.

It was _too_ perfect.

Raven felt a lump in her throat as she stared into the eyes of the demon, in all his glory, who was hovering over her as if she were his prey.

"Why?"

Her voice was meek when she choked out the only word she could, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She wanted to close her eyes, she _wanted_ to look away, but she couldn't tear her gaze away from what was before her.

As a tear slipped down her face, Sebastian bent his head lower, his tongue darting out to gently lick it away and then nuzzle his face against her neck, hearing her soft whimpers.

" _ **Shh, my little kitten,**_ " he whispered into her ear, a clawed hand brushing gently against her cheek. " _ **You need not fear any longer. I am here.**_ "

She felt her body trembling under his touch as she instinctively reached out and grabbed the hand that was touching her face, trying desperately to push it away, but her efforts were futile. Another soft whimper escaped her throat when she felt his other hand slipping under her blouse, clawing her through her petticoat and resting his clawed hand on her lower back.

The feeling of his hand on her lower back sent a jolt of fear through her body. Her hands desperately but weakly grasped at his chest as she tried to push him away. She knew her efforts were in vain, but fear ruled over her body. It was pure instinct.

A strange warmth was gathering in her body where the demon's hand was resting. It continued to grow warmer until it was nearly burning, but not quite.

Her fear was building in her chest as she felt his breath against his neck when he opened his mouth once more.

" _ **If it comforts you, you may scream.**_ "

It wasn't as if anyone outside the room could hear her, anyway.

Terror overcame her, and with the last of her strength, she _did_ scream.

After a moment, the demon pushed himself up from the young woman's prone form and smirked as he looked her over. She had lost consciousness after she screamed.

" _ **Ah, good. You need your rest, poor little kitten.**_ "

The demon stood, turning away from Raven.

"I shall prepare you a meal for when you awaken," he mused, fixing the chain on his vest. "Oh, the young master and our other guest should be arriving soon. I must prepare them some tea and something sweet for the young master, as he requested. Perhaps it will calm the young master. He will surely be quite upset with me, as will the young miss."

Sebastian smirked. The thought was amusing.

The smirk quickly disappeared, a scowl taking its place as his head lowered.

"It also seems I have some ill-mannered humans to seek out. I do so look forward to meeting them."

A dark smile grew across his lips.

"Though something tells me they won't enjoy it quite as much as I."


	8. Chapter Eight

_**Chapter Eight:**_ _  
What is a Butler to Do?_

* * *

 _The carriage slowed to a stop outside the_ manor, and the young Earl and the young lady stepped out, both looking rather... _agitated_. Ciel, without hesitation, stalked straight up to the manor's double doors, which opened to reveal his smiling butler, who was bowing with a hand over his chest.

"Welcome home, young master. I do apologize for suddenly disappearing like that. There was a matter of grave importance I needed to take care of," He smiled, his eyes closed as Ciel strode into the manner and stopped in front of him. "Today, I have prepared a selection of freshly prepared finger sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream and preserves, a variety of cakes and pastries, and Twining's Earl Grey for tea."

"That's fine. What did you think you were doing tossing me into the carriage and disappearing like that?!" Ciel snapped, his grip tightening on his cane.

Kyra stalked straight up to the butler and jabbed a finger at his chest. "WHERE. IS. RAVEN?!"

"As I said, I do apologize, young master-" Sebastian began, his expression remaining unchanged as he was quickly cut off by the blonde haired menace.

"I guess I have to find her _myself_!" Kyra snapped, roughly shoving the demon out of her way and stalking past him and headed to the stairs of the entryway.

" _Sebastian_ , just lead her to her friend; I don't want to deal with her when she can't find her. _We'll talk later_ ," Ciel scowled. "That's an order."

Sebastian bowed. "Yes, my lord."

Hearing this, Kyra whirled, crossing her arms across her chest. She raised an eyebrow as she tapped her foot impatiently.

"Right this way, M'lady," Sebastian smiled, and lead the way.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Raven's breaths came steadily as she soundly slept on the oversized bed. Kyra sat beside her, tightly holding her hand in both of hers as she struggled to keep her tears from her eyes.

"She doesn't look like a ghost anymore," Kyra whispered. "What did you do, Sebastian?"

The demon chuckled. "I simply cared for her as I am expected to, miss. If I couldn't do this much, what kind of butler would I be?"

"A normal one?" Kyra answered tentatively, turning to side-eye Sebastian.

He smirked. "How horrible that would be; a Phantomhive butler can not be a normal one."

"Right..." Kyra responded, turning back to her friend. "We can't have that, can we?"

"Of course," he bowed. "The young miss should be waking soon. Mey-Rin is currently drawing you both a bath to enjoy together, as per your request, and I will fetch you both a fresh set of clothes." Sebastian straightened, elegantly adjusting his jacket. "Afterward, afternoon tea will be served in the sitting room. Today, I have prepared a selection of freshly prepared finger sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream and preserves, a variety of cakes and pastries, and Twining's Earl Grey for tea."

"Uhm... You already said that," Kyra stated flatly.

"You seemed rather distracted when I first announced the menu, so it seemed prudent to do so again," He beamed, his gaze falling on Raven's face.

Her eyebrow twitched.

"... Riiiight..." Kyra slowly drawled. "Thanks... I'll take care of her now... I'm sure you have things to do."

"But of course, my lady," Sebastian bowed once more. "Well then, I shall be taking my leave. Please do let any of the servants know if you should require anything."

"Uh huh."

The door quietly clicked shut behind the demon butler.

The room remained quiet for several moments before a tentative whisper broke the silence.

"... Is he finally gone?" Raven tentatively asked, still holding her eyes shut.

"RAVEN!" Kyra squealed. "Yes, he is gone! Are you ok? You look so much better! What happened? I tried to stop him, but-"

"Kyra! Stop! There was nothing you could do. I feel fine, better than I have in days, and to be honest I don't know what happened." Raven didn't want to think about it; the whole ordeal was so frightening and surreal. She felt sure what she remembered was real, but she didn't want to believe it. She _was_ , however, feeling very healthy, and was extremely grateful for at least that. "He somehow healed me, Kyra. That scares me. Does it mean I am indebted to him now? What does this mean?"

"Uhm... I don't know, Raven; you're the expert here. I have to say, though - he was almost looking at you like he did that cat. It's kinda creepy."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Sebastian paused outside of the door of Ciel's study, a contemplative look on his face.

"Well, they _are_ both beautiful, adorable, innocent... and _soft_... _Ah, so soft_..."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

"You're joking, right?" Raven paled. "Please tell me you're joking."

"I'm not," Kyra sighed.

Raven slowly dropped her head in her hands.

"Moving past that, though, I am _so_ relieved to see you awake and okay. I was getting pretty scared out there!" Kyra gushed. "Oh, something I better tell you. Sebastian disappeared with you right in front of me, no attempt to hide that he is a-"

"Oh, a magician?" Raven glowered, giving her friend a stern, knowing look. "Yes, some people get really weird about _real_ magicians like him. He's truly amazing at what he does."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

"Sebastian, are you even _listening_ to what I'm saying?!" Ciel snapped, slamming his hands on his desk.

His butler's eyebrows were twitching and he was in his classic 'thinking' pose. He seemed rather... _aggravated_. "I apologize, young master. It seems I became distracted for a moment."

"You still seem distracted," Ciel deadpanned, still glowering at his butler. After a moment, his gaze faltered as curiosity got the better of him. "... What is it?"

Another twitch of the eyebrow. "Of all things to compare me to, she compares me to a lowly _street performer_. A _magician_. Honestly, what part of _that_ seemed like a _magic trick_?"

Ciel rose an eyebrow at Sebastian. "... What are you going on about?"

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

"... Right," Kyra slowly nodded, realizing what her friend was silently telling her.

' _The demon is still in the manor. He can probably still hear us from this distance._ '

"By the way, where's my book?" Raven asked, glancing around.

"Oh, right here!" Kyra answered, reaching behind her to pick up the book she had placed on the bed.

"Did he...?"

"He didn't see that," Kyra shook her head.

A knock at the door stole both of their attentions. "E-excuse me, misses, but your bath is ready, yes it is!"

"Oh, okay!" Kyra jumped up and turned to Raven, beaming. "Hear that? We get to have a bath!"

Raven's eyes sparkled. "A hot one?"

"Yup!" Kyra grinned. "Excited?"

"Heck, yes!" Raven cheered.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

"So, what you're telling me," Ciel spoke slowly, folding his hands together, "is that this 'Raven' girl... is your ' _mate_ '..."

"Yes, young master," Sebastian affirmed.

"Just what does this _mean_ , Sebastian?" Ciel demanded.

Sebastian closed his eyes and sighed. "As I am sure you understand, young master, demons have a _very_ long life span. Should we be strong and wise enough to not be killed, we can live _many_ millennia."

Ciel kept a steady gaze on his butler, silently urging him to continue.

The demon sighed once more. "As I am certain you know, demons do not make for good company - nor trustworthy allies."

Ciel scoffed at this. "Obviously."

"Indeed, young master," Sebastian smiled briefly. "The beginning of this relationship will be difficult, and will require my attention and time so that she may be eased gently into it."

The young Earl sighed, his eye twitching in annoyance.

"In any case, what is happening here is an extremely rare occurrence. I cannot properly express to you what an honor this is to happen to me. I have never once even met another demon to whom this has happened. I have heard many tales, yet this is the first such case I have seen with my own eyes. I must say, the stories have not done it justice."

"Get to the point, Sebastian," Ciel ordered. "How does this affect me?"

The demon chuckled. "Ah, how blissfully ignorant you are. You still do not understand the gravity of the situation. Words cannot tell how privileged _you_ , a _human_ , are, to even be witnessing this - and to be still living."

"What are you getting at, Sebastian?"

" _Many_ , if not all demons who find their mate during a contract have... _prematurely ended_ it," Sebastian responded, his eyes briefly flashing the color of fuchsia. "Not many are willing to split their attention between their mate and their master in the beginning. As I said, demons do not make for good company... especially for humans, I may add."

Ciel closed his eyes, deeply inhaling. "So what are _you_ intending on doing, Sebastian? Will you also be breaking our contract prematurely?"

Sebastian hummed, his eyes darkening. "I will allow you a chance. If you can agree to and abide by the additional conditions I set forth, I will be willing to continue with our... _arrangement_."

"Alright, then," Ciel replied. "Let me hear these conditions."

Sebastian folded his arms behind his back as he began pacing the room.

"First: The young misses must stay here - whether as guests or servants will be _their_ decision - so that they may enjoy the same safety as I accord you."

Ciel's eyes widened. " _Both_ of them?!"

Sebastian paused, glancing at the human. "But of course. Little Miss Raven would not be happy nor comfortable without her dear friend accompanying her. We cannot simply throw Miss Kyra in the streets. That would be bad manners."

" _Yes, we could_ ," Ciel muttered, averting his eyes.

Sebastian continued pacing the room, an eyebrow quirked as a smirk played on his face.

"Second: You shall never make either one of the young misses to feel unwelcome in this house."

The butler chuckled as he heard the young earl sputtering wordlessly.

"Funny you find this amusing!" Ciel snapped when he heard the demon laughing at him. "Miss Kyra and I _did_ come to an agreement on one thing in the carriage ride back to the manor today."

"Oh? And what is that?" Sebastian replied, tilting a head to the side in amusement.

"We both detest you."

Sebastian chuckled once again. ' _Oh, that simply will not do. Miss Raven surely cares about what Miss Kyra thinks. Other demons have had only one human's favor to earn... I have_ _ **two**_ _._ '

"Third: You must allow me the freedom to solidify my relationship with my mate. There may be times during which, for whatever reason, I must be with her rather than with you. Of course, I shall protect you and properly complete my duties as a butler, however, I will not be able to devote every single moment of my life to this as before."

Sebastian stopped moving at the window, staring outside impassively.

"Fourth: You will not interfere in the relationships between myself and _either_ of the girls, _especially_ that of the one between my mate and myself. Should either girl come to you for information or advice about anything pertaining to myself, or others of my kind, you will redirect them to obtain _my_ counsel."

The demon sighed.

"... This is going to be difficult enough as it is," he murmured quietly enough that the Earl could not hear it.

"I don't want to have anything to do with this. I have no problems with your conditions thus far," Ciel replied.

"I believe it should go without saying that you are not to, _in any way_ , harm either of the young ladies."

"Of course," Ciel nodded. "Is that all, then?"

"For now. I may have to add more later, as I have never been in this situation before."

"Then I accept your terms."

The young earl sat back, his expressionless gaze on the demon before him.

"Very well, then, young master," Sebastian smiled, placing a hand on his chest and bowing.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Kyra and Raven were enjoying their bath, relishing in the hot water and how it relaxed their muscles.

"Kyra, isn't this bathtub amazing? It's so deep!" Raven mused.

"Oh, it's _beautiful_. I want one of these when I have my own home," Kyra quipped. ' _Home..._ ' Kyra sighed. ' _I miss my home, and my mom._ '

"Me, too," Raven agreed. "That would be 'yes' on so many levels."

"Right?" Kyra laughed. "Here, turn around and I'll get your back."

"Alright, I'll get yours after," Raven agreed, obediently turning her back for her friend.

Raven sat with her back to her friend, humming contentedly.

After several long moments of silence, she stopped humming. "Uhh, Kyra? Whatcha doin'?" She inquired, turning toward the blonde. "Hey, are you okay?!"

"R-Raven..." Kyra stuttered. Her face was pale and her eyes wide with terror as she stared at Raven's back. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, _so_ sorry. I knew you were sick and I left you alone. I _knew_ what he was and I still let him take you. Oh my God..."

"Kyra?!" Raven's eyes were widened as well. "What's wrong?!"

"No... No... _NO!_ " Kyra shouted, yanking Raven up by her arm. She stepped out of the tub, pulling the other girl along with her.

"Kyra?!" Raven exclaimed. "What happened?!"

"PUT THIS ON!" Kyra snapped, thrusting a towel at her and putting one on herself.

"We haven't even gotten the soap off yet! Tell me what's happening!" Raven retorted as she obliged.

Not answering, Kyra gripped Raven by the arm and stalked out of the bathroom and out of the guest room they were in.

" ** _I'm gonna kill him._** "

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Sebastian hummed happily, setting out the food for afternoon tea. The young ladies should be done with their baths soon, so he must have everything prepared. For some odd reason, Miss Kyra was going off on a rant about something and threatening to kill someone - most probably him.

" _ **SEBASTIAN, YOU SON OF A BITCH!**_ "

Just another day in the life of Sebastian Michaelis. He had a feeling he would be hearing that term a lot from now on.

"Well, then," he mused, setting out the plates. "That is the second time today already."

" _Kyra, STOP! What are you_ _ **DOING**_ _?! You KNOW you can't kill him - he's a_ _ **fucking demon**_ _! And what are you so angry about?!_ "

Sebastian held the napkins in his hands, pondering for a moment as to what shape he should fold them into today.

" _THAT!_ "

Perhaps a swan?

" _Wha- Hey! I can't even see what you're talking about!_ "

Ah, perhaps a lotus would be better.

" _I'M GONNA KILL THAT SON OF A BITCH!_ "

The water lily was very pretty.

" _You can't kill him!_ "

The Fleur De Lis fold was a simple yet elegant fold.

" _And why the Hell not?!_ "

Simple yet elegant... That seemed to be what Raven enjoyed, based on his first impression of her.

" _He's a fucking demon, THAT'S WHY!_ _ **He'll**_ _kill_ _ **you**_ _!_ "

The Fleur De Lis it was.

" _He still has to answer for this! AND THEN HE CAN TAKE IT OFF!_ "

Oh, my, it seemed that someone was at the door.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

"Young master, you have a letter from the Queen," Sebastian bowed, holding out a tray with the aforementioned letter on it.

" _Can't I at least see what the Hell you're talking about?!_ "

Ciel calmly accepted the letter and retrieved his letter opener to gently open it.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

"I do wonder what all that could be about," a small red haired maid with glasses wondered.

"I don't know, but I'm staying out of it," a tall, muscular blonde man replied immediately, lighting up a cigarette. "They're yelling something about Sebastian, and _he's_ the one who brought them here, so they're _his_ problem."

The maid and a younger blonde boy hummed, concerned, though they seemed to share his sentiments.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

" _Witches_?!" Ciel exclaimed dumbfoundedly. "There are _witches_ in _London_?! How preposterous!"

" _SEBASTIAAAAAN!_ "

"Witches?" Sebastian looked rather amused. "It has been quite some time since I have encountered a witch."

"..." Ciel's expression had taken a sharp turn to one of distaste.

" _YOU SON OF A BITCH, WHERE ARE YOU?!_ "

"Young master, what is the matter?"

"I believe this is _your_ problem," Ciel sighed, offering his butler the letter.

"I beg your pardon?" Sebastian blinked, bewildered.

"Take it. This is _your_ problem," Ciel replied smoothly.

"Well, then... please excuse me," the butler bowed, graciously accepting the letter.

" _ARRRGGHHH!_ "

" _Seriously, Kyra, what the actual fuck?!_ "

Sebastian's eyebrows quirked up. My, his mate and her friend had _quite_ the... _vocabulary_.

He calmly unfolded the letter, his eyes widening as he quickly read through it.

" _Now_ do you understand?" Ciel smirked, resting his chin on his hands.

"Oh, my. What is a butler to do?"


	9. Chapter Nine

_**Chapter Nine:**_ _  
_ _The Towel Incident_

* * *

 _Sebastian calmly refolded the letter and_ handed it back to Ciel.

"Young master, I do assure you that they are not, in fact, witches," the butler sighed.

" _Why does this house have to be so big?! Where is he? I want answers and I want them now! I_ _know_ _you can hear me, you bastard! Stop hiding!_ "

"Hmph," Ciel closed his eyes for a moment. "That may be, but it does not solve our problem. They are a perfect match of the descriptions included in the letter, and the queen is concerned. The populace is growing fearful due to the rumours of witches wandering about. They have been spotted all about London."

Sebastian closed his eyes and hummed. "Yes, they do indeed fit the descriptions in the letter - especially Miss Kyra, with her rather unconventional hair - but that can be subject to change, can it not?"

" _Kyra, calm down! He's probably just doing butler stuff and is busy!_ "

"Well, if she were to have an appearance similar to other women - most notably her hair - it would be rather impossible to accuse them of being the witches, then, wouldn't it? Furthermore, who would dare accuse people under my protection of being witches?" The Earl smirked.

" _His butler stuff can wait!_ "

"But of course, young master," Sebastian agreed, bowing, his own smirk playing on his lips. "It would be unheard of."

"Quite obviously, those two will have to also act the part," Ciel replied. "I trust you can handle such a thing."

"As you wish, young master," Sebastian chuckled. A fine excuse to spend even more time with his little kitten.

" _SEBAAAAASTIAAAAN!_ " A scream echoed nearby. This time, it was loud enough for Ciel to hear.

"Sebastian, the two ladies are _your_ responsibility. I would appreciate it if my home were more one of respite rather than chaos. Do you understand?" The Earl huffed.

Sebastian merely chuckled once more. "Yes, my lord."

The door to the study swung open, revealing the two young ladies, covered in soap and wearing nothing but towels.

Ciel's eyes widened and his jaw dropped, surprise and embarrassment showing clearly on his face. "What the bloody Hell are you two _doing_?!"

"What are we doing? _WHAT ARE WE DOING_?!" Kyra screeched. "I'd like to know what YOUR BUTLER thought HE was doing when he put THAT THING on Raven!"

"What are you talking about?" Ciel retorted.

Raven twisted around, tuning Kyra out completely as she peered at her back in a desperate attempt to see what her friend was so worked up about.

"I'm _talking_ about," the Blonde growled, turning her friend toward the door so that her back was facing the two men, " _THIS!_ "

With that, her hand snatched Raven's towel and pulled harshly downward.

As if in slow motion, the towel loosened dramatically, and Kyra's eyes widened comically as it slowly began its descent all the way to the floor.

Raven sucked in a deep breath when she suddenly felt something warm enveloping her.

" _Please excuse me, my Lady_ ," A voice softly spoke in her ear. White-gloved hands gently wrapped a black tailcoat around her, swiftly covering her now completely nude body before anyone could see. "I know that the clothes of a butler are not worthy of your stature, but please bear with it just this once."

Raven felt as though a knot were tying itself in her chest. _The demon_ was right behind her, putting _his_ jacket on her as her towel now rested on the ground. _His_ arms wrapped around her, covering her bare body with his jacket. Raven felt herself freeze like a statue. Desperate to break away and escape from him, she thrust her arm through a sleeve and held it out to Kyra. "My towel, please!"

Kyra immediately was about to bend down and snatch it up, but Sebastian beat her to it; before she could even begin to reach for it, Sebastian had picked it up and offered it to the dark haired girl.

Raven clenched her jaw tightly, slipping her other arm through the jacket before gripping the towel to herself. "Excuse me. I am going back to my room to see what it is you are so upset about."

She began stalking forward before she stopped just out of the door and slowly turned to look back at Sebastian, a deep red coloring her face as frustration completely enveloped her.

"Sebastian."

"Yes, my Lady?" A head tilted to the side, a suave smile gracing his face.

"I'm sorry, but could you please lead me to my room? After being unceremoniously dragged about this entire manor, I have no clue where it is."

Oh, how she hated asking for the demon's help. It was like a slap in the face to have to ask him for help when she was so ready to just _leave_. She had been trying to leave with at least _some_ dignity, and to have to stop and ask for help like that...

Damn it, Kyra!

" _Of course_ , my Lady. Right this way."

An unexpected chance to be with her just a little bit more.

He bowed to his master. "Please excuse me, young master."

The boy simply nodded.

"Wait just a moment, Sebastian!" Kyra growled. "I told you I want an explanation, and I am not moving until I get one!"

"I apologize, Miss Kyra, however, I must escort Lady Raven to her room. I do ask that you also come with and that the both of you properly clean yourself and dress in the proper attire that was provided for you in your rooms. I believe this conversation would be better suited for another time," Sebastian calmly replied. "Afternoon tea will already be late today. Please finish your bath and come to have something to eat. I am certain you both are famished."

Kyra's eyes blazed and she opened her mouth to let out an angry retort, but Raven was quick to silence her with a glare.

" _We are returning to our rooms_ and doing what Mister Sebastian suggested. I would also greatly enjoy _not_ being strutted about the manor in my _birthday suit_ , please and thank you. I will see what you are going on about, and we will talk _later_."

Kyra grit her teeth and turned her gaze to the floor, her fists clenched. "Alright. Fine."

"Very good. In that case, please come with me," Sebastian bowed with a smile, and led the two girls back to their room.

The way back to their room was silent, and neither girl spoke to one another. Raven's steely gaze fixated straight forward, refusing to even look at her friend. Kyra's eyes were pointed toward the floor, and she stole the occasional glance at her friend. She _knew_ she had let her emotions get the best of her and that Raven was upset.

"Here are your rooms, young Ladies. Mey-Rin will be up here shortly, after completing the chores she is working on, to show you to tea and give you any assistance you need." Sebastian informed them with a slight bow. "Miss Kyra's is to the left, and Lady Raven's is directly past it."

"Thank you," Kyra muttered, taking a step toward her assigned room. The butler darted forward to hold open the door for her. "Oh... Thank you."

"Of course, Miss Kyra," Sebastian smiled, placing a hand over his chest once more. The door was gently shut behind her. "My Lady."

"Yes?" Raven's eyes snapped to the demon's from where they had been staring at the wall.

The demon's lips twitched up in a smile as he held her door open. "Should you need anything, please do not hesitate to call upon me."

Raven stiffly walked past him into the room. "Have Mey-Rin help Miss Kyra first. I need a few moments alone."

"Of course, my Lady," The butler bowed. "Please excuse me."

The door clicked shut.

A frown turned on the demon's lips as his eyes darted about the floor. It was... wet... and soapy. A complete mess. He must check every runner now.

This simply would not do... and, of course, he had to clean it up. He could not have the young master see this mess.

* * *

 ** _OoO_**

* * *

After finishing cleaning off the soap and drying off, Raven walked over to the door that adjoined Kyra's room to hers and closed it softly. She sat on her bed and closed her eyes, trying to make sense of what has happened to her this day. She just needed to be alone and figure things out! It had all been too much in quick succession.

Raven stood and slowly walked over to the full-sized mirror in her room. ' _I suppose it is time to see what is_ _on me,_ ' she thought as she let the towel and tailcoat drop to the floor and turned towards the mirror so she could see her lower back.

The symbol on her back was larger than she had anticipated. It was purple with symbols and had foreign writing on it. It was very similar to Ciel's contract symbol. But she could not make out the writing in the mirror. Raven staggered back to the dressing table and sat down on the chair heavily, her mind weighed down by the stress she's been going through for the past few days. ' _I must gather my sensibilities before tea. What am I to do now?_ ' She chuckled, realizing that she was now thinking in Victorian-era English.

Raven sighed. "I am not going to be able to solve this dilemma before tea. I had best get prepared to go down to tea."

Raven froze for a moment.

" _Now_ , I'm even automatically _speaking_ like this! I know I've been _trying_ to do this, but _really_!" Raven huffed. "Now, where is this 'proper attire' that was left for me? I suppose that, in this era, it should be... on the bed actually."

Raven turned to look at the bed behind her. A dress, a chemise, drawers, a corset, and several petticoats laid neatly on the bed.

"..." Raven stared at all of the clothes, her expression completely blank. ' _... This is going to take longer than expected... I'll start with drying my hair._ '

Raven sighed heavily, picking up another towel and beginning the daunting task of drying her long hair - her _very_ long hair, which reached just below her torso. After several moments of gently pressing the towel on her hair to squeeze the water out, a knock sounded on the door between her room and Kyra's.

"Yes, Kyra, what do you want?" Raven asked, masking her annoyance.

The door slowly creaked open and Kyra meekly stuck her head in the room.

"I... I've been trying to put this thing on for the past fifteen minutes. I... I need help," Kyra whimpered.

"..." Raven sighed. "Alright, let me see."

Kyra swallowed nervously and opened the door to walk in.

Her corset... was on backwards... laced up... all knotted and tangled. Her chemise was completely uneven and twisted as well.

It looked absolutely ridiculous.

"I thought it would work if I did it this way! I couldn't get it right when it was on so I tried putting it on backwards and tying it to turn it around after tying, it, but... I can't twist it, and..." Kyra bit her lip, her face red as she began tearing up. "I tried to tie it really tight like in the movies, and when I tried to untie it... it's _knotted_!" She wailed. "I always make such a _mess_ of things!"

"..." Raven stared speechlessly at her.

"I'M SO SORRY!"

Raven twitched and covered her mouth with a hand as she tried to muffle her giggles so as to not embarrass her friend even _more_ , but as soon as that one giggle escaped it turned into an outright laugh that became uncontrollable. She gestured Kyra over to begin undoing the knot while laughing and apologizing for laughing intermittently.

Kyra, with her face flushed with embarrassment, started giggling along with her friend. It wasn't long until both girls were laughing hysterically.

* * *

 ** _OoO_**

* * *

" _Baldroy_. Would you care to tell me exactly how _this_ happened?" Sebastian glowered.

The kitchen was an absolute _mess_. It looked as though a bomb had gone off in it...

Which it had, but that was neither here nor there.

"Well, you see, I was thinking I'd use the flamethrower to cook the meat faster, but I forgot to move the gunpowder first," the 'chef' admitted abashedly, rubbing the back of his head. "But I don't know what happened to the roast."

Sebastian's eyebrow twitched several times. "How can you be such an imbec..." He began, only to trail off. Slowly, his eyes closed. That beautiful sound... _Raven_. Raven was laughing. She sounded so happy and he couldn't help but feel himself relax as her charming laughter filled his mind. Unbeknownst to him, he let out a happy sigh, a slight smile gracing his lips.

"Uhh... Sebastian?" The blonde 'chef' asked tentatively. Sebastian looked happy, and he was starting to get scared.

Sebastian's eyes snapped open to glare at the fool. "Clean the kitchen and leave. I will finish today's afternoon tea and dinner preparations. Kindly stay out of my way and act like an adult. _Act like an adult_."

' _He said it twice..._ ' Baldroy mentally noted, wincing. "Yes, Mister Sebastian." He set about filling a garbage bin and washing the ash off of the tables.

Sebastian sighed, fixing his gloves. "Now, then. Mey-Rin has finished her chores and should be heading up to aid the ladies now. I must be sure tea is ready. The young master will be having tea in his study as he is behind schedule with his work, so I must bring tea to him first." Sebastian readies the oven to warm the scones as he plans the dishes to take out to hold the sweets and cream. He now would require two sets of dishes, one for Ciel and another for the ladies. Today's menu for afternoon tea will be freshly prepared finger sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream and mixed berry preserves, a variety of cakes and pastries and, for tea, an Earl Gray he had obtained from Twining. He prepared two carts with the Wedgewood dishes, two crystal bowls for the preserves and then put the food on one cart with the now steeping tea and made his way to Ciel's study.

* * *

 ** _OoO_**

* * *

After the still-giggling Raven had finished unknotting Kyra's corset, she had sent her back to her room to wait for Mey-Rin with the excuse that Raven still had to dry her hair before tea. Kyra had tousled her hand in her own short and _dry_ hair and made a quip about the advantages of having short hair. Raven had merely rolled her eyes and sent her off after warning her that she had to remember to use _Victorian_ English when Mey-Rin came to help her.

Raven sighed, running a hand through her still-slightly-damp hair. Her towel was damp enough by now that it was useless. She hoped that Mei-Rinn could help her with her hair. Raven walked over to the bed and stared at the dress laid out for her and was in awe at the details on the dress. It was quite beautiful, and the colour went beautifully with her hair. It was an exquisite dark green and ivory dress, with gold accenting. There was a nice slender style bustle on the dress and ribbon rosettes done in gold. It was beautiful. When she was done looking at the dress, she slipped on the pantaloons and chemise.

A soft knock on the door grabbed Raven's attention.

"M'lady, I have come to help you dress for tea!" A feminine voice called from just outside her room. Raven quickly turned and swiftly walked over to the door and opened it for the maid.

"Ah! Oh, you didn't have to go through the trouble of opening the door for me, M'lady! I could have come in myself!" The maid exclaimed, waving her arms about in surprise.

Raven blinked and mentally noted that that was _not_ the proper thing to do. "Oh... I was just trying to be polite."

The young woman laughed a bit. "You'd think that the two of you girls have never had a maid before, opening the doors like you were the servants."

Raven chuckled uncomfortably. "Aren't you a funny one?" She smiled, moving from the door. "Could you please also help me with my hair?"

The maid beamed, stepping inside and closing the door behind her. "Of course! I'll do both your hair and your face!"

"... My face?" Raven asked tentatively. "I don't really wear much makeup."

" _Of course_ you don't, but I'll help you with it," she smiled. "Though you're so pretty you obviously don't need much."

Raven stared blankly at Mey-Rin. What in the world was going on? Whatever was, Raven decided just to go with it for now. She was _so_ hungry.

"Oh! How rude of me; I did not introduce myself!" The maid exclaimed, bowing. "My name is Mey-Rin, and I am the maid of the Phantomhive household."

' _And you are_ _real_ _, and as delightfully cute as I thought you would be._ ' Raven smiled. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Raven."

"What a beautiful and fitting name, M'lady!" Mey-Rin beamed. "Now, let's get your hair and makeup done first! How would you like your hair styled?"

"I'll leave it up to you, but would prefer it as simple as possible as we are already late for afternoon tea," Raven said.

"Of course, Lady Raven!" Mey-Rin chirped, walking over to the dressing table. "Ah, good! I was worried when I saw that Mister Sebastian hadn't left Miss Kyra and makeup. It seems he left you plenty, and a fascinator to go with your dress, but I believe he's forgotten to give Miss Kyra her's, yes he did! It's not like him at all!" She rambled.

Raven quirked an eyebrow. _Sebastian_ had _forgotten_ to do something? She _highly_ doubted that. "How unfortunate. I suppose everyone has their faults. That's okay. You can use my makeup for Kyra, also."

"How kind of you!" Mey-Rin smiled. "First, let's get you done up, though. Please do have a seat."

Raven silently obliged with a nod, and Mey-Rin picked up the brush and placed a few hairpins very close by for easy reach. She divided a large section of Raven's hair into three and loosely braided it up on the left side of her head, discreetly pinning stray hairs underneath the braid. When her hair was done, she began to work on Raven's makeup. She used a brush to apply pearlescent powder on her face, making her even paler than she already was. Mey-Rin then applied charcoal powder around her eyes and then a very small amount of rouge to her cheeks. Raven hated the rouge as it had to be blended in and was difficult to work with. Raven decided against any lip stain or eyeshadow; what she had on was already more than what she was used to.

"Thank you," Raven smiled gently at Mey-Rin. "Why don't we bring Kyra in here and have her makeup done as well?"

"Of course, M'lady!" Mey-Rin nodded.

Soon enough, Kyra was seated where Raven had been and was having her makeup done. Contrary to how Raven had merely endured it, Kyra seemed to be enjoying having her makeup done and intently watched the techniques Mey-Rin was using. She had the whole set, including the lip stain, done.

"I really like how you've done this!" Kyra exclaimed, examining the outcome in a mirror. "You'll have to show me on Raven sometime. You've made it look quite natural and subtle."

Mey-Rin blushed. "Oh, thank you," she replied shyly. "I'd be flattered to."

Kyra beamed. "Why thank you so very much! I look forward to it!"

The maid giggled happily. "Now, please allow me to help Lady Raven into her dress. We must have tea soon."

"Would you mind if I watched? This is the first time anyone's put a corset on me where it's so comfortable and I'd like to see how you do it!" Kyra smiled.

"Well, if it's alright with Lady Raven, then I see no problem with it," Mey-Rin smiled. These ladies were being so kind. She was proud of herself for doing such a good job.

"It's okay," Raven nodded, and so Mey-Rin set to work.

First, Mey-Rin helped Raven into her corset. The laces were pulled tight, but not so tight that Raven's breathing was constricted. Over the corset was the corset cover, and then four petticoats and one over petticoat. The over petticoat had an elaborately embroidered hem.

Finally, Mey-Rin slipped the dress on Raven and made any necessary adjustments so that it properly rested on her body.

"How beautiful!" Mey-Rin gushed. "The dress suits you so well!"

Raven idly stared at herself in the full sized mirror. ' _How do women function in the summertime?_ '

"Here are your shoes, M'lady. Please sit down so I may help you with them," Mey-Rin smiled. Raven obliged, sitting on the seat at the dressing table and allowing the other woman to take her feet and pull silk lace stocking up each leg and hooking up her garter belt. Afterward, she carefully slid green heeled boots with ribbon laces. Although they were quite pretty she couldn't help but miss her comfy shoes at this time.

"I believe we are ready for tea now, Mey-Rin; would you please show us the way?" Raven said, standing up. She paused for a moment and picked up Sebastian's tailcoat from where she had placed it over a chair near the window. "Oh, and could you please return this to Mister Sebastian for me?" She asked, offering the tailcoat to the bewildered maid, who tentatively accepted it.

"Of course, miss. Please follow me," Mey-Rin said as she opened the door to the hallway and stepped out. Mey-Rin silently wondered how and _why_ Miss Raven had Mister Sebastian's jacket, but knew it was not her place to ask.

Raven was quite hesitant to see Ciel again, knowing he was more than likely _more_ than upset at the scene in his study earlier. She would need to apologize at some point, but hadn't yet thought of a way to bring it up.

"Raven, you look beautiful. I know Ciel is going to be at tea, and I will apologize to him. It was all my fault anyway, it should come from me." Kyra whispered. It seemed they had similar thoughts.

Raven knew her friend meant well, and that she was right - it should come from her, however... She was afraid that if she did it as is that she might make matters worse, considering how she had been behaving recently. Raven knew that Kyra was at her limit for stress and that Raven had a higher tolerance for it than Kyra, and she knew that when Kyra was at her limit, she blew up just like the earlier... _towel incident_. Should she suggest that Kyra practice on her first? Maybe Kyra would appreciate that. It could help her be more comfortable with it.

They arrived at the sitting room and Mey-Rin opened the door for them and revealed a nice, elegant looking room. It had a chaise lounge on one side and two wing chairs on the other.

The girls glanced around as they sat down on the wing chairs and looked at the table settings. It was beautifully set up, and the napkins were folded in a rather pretty shape. The food was set out perfectly on three-tiered trays. On the top were scones along with small bowls that held the promised clotted cream and berry preserves. The middle held finger sandwiches, delicately laid out just right. On the last tier, cake and pastries rested. It looked even better than Raven and Kyra had anticipated, though it was much different than the food they were used to.

Not a moment later, the sound of a cart quietly being pushed in the hallway greeted their ears, and Sebastian appeared with it. Mey-Rin bowed and excused herself to let Sebastian take care of them.

"Hello, Mister Sebastian. Please accept our apologies for our tardiness," Raven greeted, and Kyra nodded in agreement.

The butler blinked, surprised. Sebastian closed his eyes and smiling, bowing. "There is no need to apologize to a mere butler such as myself, Lady Raven," he replied. How adorable the little kitten was.

"Oh..." Raven muttered, shifting uncomfortably. "I'm sorry. It's how I was raised."

Ah... She had apologized once more. How cute. Sebastian smiled, rising once more. "Of course, my lady," Sebastian replied smoothly, daintily placing the strainer above a teacup and poured the tea in before setting it in front of Raven. "Well, then. Today, we have Twining's Earl Grey for tea. I do hope it is to your liking." He repeated the same actions for Kyra.

"The young master sends his regrets that he could not join you for tea this afternoon as he is behind on his work and must attend to that," he bowed.

Kyra visibly winced. She glanced around at the table and saw a napkin she recalled her mother telling her was supposed to go on her lap. Without hesitation, she did so, and Raven followed suit.

The girls stared blankly at the food for a moment. Were they supposed to self-serve or was Sebastian supposed to serve them? This was both of their first times in both high society and having afternoon tea.

Raven's eyes snapped to Sebastian and saw that they were both standing to the side, ready in case they needed anything. She surmised that it was a self-serve situation and daintily picked up a finger sandwich.

Although the two girls wished to have a conversation regarding recent events, they felt quite awkward with Sebastian in the room so kept the conversation to compliments about the food and tea. Raven seemed a lot more confident than Kyra felt, so Kyra kept an eye on Raven and copied what she was doing to make sure she didn't mess up. Raven, however, was discreetly glancing rather frequently at Sebastian in hopes that he wouldn't have a look of disapproval on his face. That would, of course, mean she had done something wrong.

Kyra, in particular, enjoyed the finger sandwiches so much that Raven teased that she hadn't just eaten _finger_ sandwiches, she had eaten the entire _arm_. Raven, quite frankly, neither liked the tea nor the food. Kyra didn't like tea much, either, and while the food wasn't what she was used to, she was hungry enough not to care. Both girls bore with it.

After they had finished with the scones and sandwiches, Sebastian stepped forward with a polite smile and suggested the cake, and they obliged.

When she was finished, Raven recalled from her reading of Kuroshitsuji that she was supposed to place her silverware on her plate, however... the chapter that mentioned that took place at dinner, if she recalled correctly. Raven stared at her plate for a moment before deciding to do so in addition to folding her napkin and placing it on the dish as well. She fervently hoped that it was the right thing to do.

When Kyra also finished her tea a few moments later, she did the same.

Raven stood and wrung her hands together in front of her, and Kyra followed suit. "Mister Sebastian, please extend our thanks to Lord Phantomhive for the sumptuous tea he has provided for us. It was quite enjoyable. Please also extend our regrets that he could not attend. We do so hope he can tear himself away from work to accompany us for dinner. I would also like to know if I could please make use of your library?"

Sebastian bowed. "Of course, m'lady. I will relay your messages to the young master. If you would like to use the library, I will take you there now."

After they reached the library, Kyra walked forward to glance at the books and Raven quietly spoke to Sebastian. "I would like to talk to you after dinner, if I may? We have serious matters to discuss."

Sebastian smiled. "Of course Miss. I look forward to it."

Raven had only one thought of that as she watched him walk away, closing the doors behind him: ' _You really shouldn't, Sebastian. This is not going to be pleasant._ '


	10. Chapter Ten

_**Chapter Ten:**_ _ **  
**_ _We Need to Talk_

* * *

 _Raven curled up comfortably on the_ chaise lounge that was near the window in the library with a random book. The raven haired girl stared silently at the book, occasionally sighing.

Kyra could tell at a glance that her friend wasn't really reading. It was blatantly obvious.

"Raven..." She spoke, but received no answer. "Hey, Raven!"

The girl sighed once more.

Kyra calmly walked aside her friend and settled down next to her with a sigh of her own. "Come on, I _know_ you're not really reading that book."

"Really, now," Raven deadpanned. "And how exactly do you figure?"

Kyra stared blankly right at her. "Well, first, it's a book about the anatomy and different species of birds. What the heck is ornithology anyways?"

Raven blinked, looking up at Kyra, and then back down at the book.

"That's the other thing: _the book is upside down_."

The girls silently stared at each other, back at the book, and then at each other again before bursting out in laughter. Every time they looked at each other and tried to say something, they only laughed even harder and soon were in hysterics.

Eventually, their laughter calmed down and they sighed, this time contentedly.

Kyra smiled up at Raven. "Raven, I'm..." She began, sucking in a deep breath as tears swelled in her eyes. "I-!"

Raven bit her lips, feeling her own tears coming on. "Oh, don't...!"

It was too late.

Both girls felt the stress and pressure from the entire situation overwhelm them, and they embraced each other as they began crying. The floodgates were open and there was no closing them. The fear of being in a strange, foreign time and place, the pressure of trying to fit in and survive, and the _absolute terror_ of being in the same house as and somehow _connected to_ a _**real demon**_ was simply too much.

"I'm so sorry," Kyra choked when she somewhat had caught her breath. "I know this is all my fault. I'm the one who pressured you into doing what the evil book said to."

Raven closed her eyes. Kyra had been blaming herself for this since the very beginning. She understood even better now why Kyra had snapped like that earlier. In her way, Kyra was trying to protect her from something she felt she had practically done herself. She blamed herself for the demon's mark being on her body when the blame was on the demon. "I could have objected more to doing it. I know you were just trying to make me feel better and to get my mind on things other than where it was. I don't blame you."

"But _I_ blame me!" Kyra whimpered. "It was my fault."

"No, it _wasn't_. If you remember, that _evil book_ said it was fated to happen, so it would have happened eventually," Raven replied. "C'mon, get off the floor. Sit next to me."

"See, you agree! It's an _evil book_!" Kyra sniffed, obligingly sitting next to her friend on the lounge.

"Uh-huh. Evil book," Raven nodded with a straight face. Now that she heard it herself, it sounded silly.

"Yeah, we should burn i-" Kyra nodded, then broke off, understanding dawning on her face as she looked at Raven. "Oh. Well, at the very least, it's a _stupid_ book. Look what it's done to us."

"That I will agree with," Raven nodded. "On a positive note, things _have_ gotten better. At least we have beds to sleep in that aren't exposed to the elements, and food to eat."

"That is true, but... _Sebastian_ -" Kyra started.

"Kyra, I want to talk to you about that, but not right now. I need to think more. There's something else I want to talk to you about, before dinner, though," Raven interrupted.

"Sure, Raven. Whatever you want," Kyra nodded. "I'll go look at books and stuff."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

 _A few minutes earlier_ found our butler in the now-clean kitchen, preparing dinner. As it was a full six-course meal, the butler had much to do.

The butler was well on his way and into the rhythm of preparing all of the food when he heard the tell-tale sounds of Mey-Rin running through the hall with something no doubt fragile, and beginning to trip.

In a flash, Sebastian had darted through the hall in time to catch her on his chest, and all of the fragile dishes in both hands and an extended foot.

"Ah! Mister Sebastian!" Mey-Rin blurted, her face flushed red and her eyes widened. "I'm so sorry!"

His eye twitched. "Just what did you think you were-!" He began, only to fall silent for a second time that day, his eyes closing as a small, contented smile graced his face. _Ah..._ Little Raven was laughing again. The girls seemed to have amused themselves in the library.

"M... Mister Sebastian?" Mey-Rin gasped, her face flushing even more, if that were possible. This was the first time she had seen him so... _happy_! Oh, he looked even more handsome like this!

The butler's eyes snapped open. "Be more careful. How many times must I tell you _not to run around_ as such? You never learn." Sebastian glowered at the maid, who immediately snapped upright.

"R-right! I'm sorry, Mister Sebastian!" She blurted, her back straight.

The butler gathered the dishes in one hand and sighed. He was about to hand them back to the maid when suddenly he froze, his eyes widening.

The dishes fell to the floor and shattered.

 **She... was...** _ **crying**_ **...**

Sebastian turned his back abruptly to Mey-Rin, ignoring her surprised shout. His fists clenched as his eyes burned a bright fuschia, and his fangs elongated. A rage unlike any he had felt before was threatening to consume the demon, and his body shook as he struggled to contain it. He ignored Mey-Rin's cry that she would go fetch something to clean up the broken dishes, and stalked back into the kitchen, listening attentively to the conversation in the library.

 _ **Why was she crying?**_

 _ **Why did he feel a rage unlike any other just because of this?**_

 _ **Was this the bond between a demon and mate?**_

 _ **... Why was she crying?**_

 _ **... Who did he have to kill?**_

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Kyra frowned, looking through the books. They weren't really her thing; she was more of a music person. Either way, she honestly wasn't really paying attention to them. Her mind was on _what she should do_. Raven wasn't really showing it, but she was seriously stressed out. Kyra had known her long enough to know that much. What could she do to help relieve at least some of her stress?

She was stressed about the demon. She was stressed about being in 1888 England. She was stressed about being in Kuroshitsuji. She was stressed about having to fit in. Kyra bet she was also stressed about Ciel and Sebastian's reactions to the... _ahem_... _Towel Incident_.

Ah... That was one thing she could do.

Her mind already decided, after a quick glance at Raven to ascertain she was still very absorbed in pretending to read her book (this time, right side up), Kyra quietly exited the library.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Ciel Phantomhive sighed, setting another letter to the side. Honestly, did these people genuinely believe he'd be even remotely interested in attending any of these useless balls? All they ever did there was stand around gossiping about other people. It was a complete and utter waste of time, not to mention ridiculously boring. He had better things to do with his time.

His attention was torn from sorting through his letters by a quiet knock on his door. It was probably Sebastian with more tea, he figured.

"Come in," he called, his gaze returning to the letters. The door opened a moment later and quiet footsteps entered.

"Hello, Lord Phantomhive," a very quiet _female_ voice greeted. "Please excuse the intrusion. I beg you for a moment of your time."

Ciel's eyes widened and he stood immediately. "Of course. Please have a seat," he replied, gesturing towards a chair in front of her desk. After she thanked him and sat, he sat back down as well.

"I shall try to be as direct as possible so as to not waste your valuable time," the young woman said, her back straight and her hands laced together on her lap.

Ciel nodded, his eyes analysing her as he waited to see what this was about.

"My behaviour earlier was unconscionable, in fact bordering upon barbaric. I am quite ashamed of it, and I beg your forgiveness, sir. There is no excuse. I can only say that I guarantee it will never happen again. You showed a great deal of grace and patience to Raven and I. I am eternally grateful for that," Kyra spoke, sincerity quite clear in both her voice and her eyes.

Ciel looked into her eyes and saw a great deal of pain and embarrassment there as well. "Think nothing of it, my lady. It is already forgotten. Would you like something to drink?"

"Oh, no thank you. We just finished the wonderful tea you so generously provided. I will not keep you from your work any longer; I have been an imposition enough! Thank you for your time." Kyra said as she and he both stood.

"Alright, then," Ciel nodded. "I will see you at dinner, Miss Kyra."

"Thank you, sir," Kyra said, attempted a curtsy and exited the room.

Ciel sat back down at his desk, resting his chin on the back of his palm in thought. ' _It seems she can act properly if she actually tries._ '

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Kyra quickly and quietly closed the doors behind her and glanced around the hallway. Once she was sure she was alone, she leaned against the wall and she closed her eyes, exhaling heavily.

After several moments, she straightened and headed back the way she had come.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Raven sighed, closing the book and setting it on the end table. After all of her thinking, she finally knew what to say to both Kyra and Sebastian. Speaking of Kyra, she had been really quiet all this time. Raven looked around the library, wondering if she had fallen asleep, and, to her surprise, she could not find her friend. She stood, walking around the library and finding it empty. She hadn't even said anything before leaving. Where had she gone? The toilet, maybe? She'd wait and see if she came back.

Several minutes later found Raven still alone in the library. She stood once more, now determined to find her friend, when the door opened and in walked Kyra.

"Oh, I was just going to go looking for you! Where did you wander off to?" Raven asked, bewildered.

"I was hopefully taking care of a problem I had created. I went to Ciel's study and apologized to him. Before you ask, I did my best to use the proper English. I made it as short and to the point as possible," Kyra replied.

"Oh. How did he take it?" Raven asked, tilting her head to the side.

"He seemed surprised but accepted it, so I believe it went well. I didn't get any of those strange looks from him, so I guess that means I didn't seem to be acting too strangely to him," Kyra stated, rather proud of herself.

"Well, that is excellent!" Raven smiled. "Can we have that talk now?"

Kyra nodded in agreement and walked over to the wingback chair near the chaise lounge. Raven sat back down near her on the lounge.

"Part of what I wanted to talk to you about, you have already realized but I am still going to tell you what I think just to make sure you understand how important it is, okay?" Raven said, looking at Kyra. Kyra nodded in agreement. "We _must not_ draw attention to ourselves for any reason. Our goal right now is to blend into the background. In fact, while I'm talking to you even right now, I _should_ be using the proper British English, but I won't because I want to make it quick." Raven reached out to Kyra and firmly held her hands. "This is for our own safety in _so_ many different circumstances that I cannot stress it enough. If you speak the way we normally do, it will draw a lot of attention to us. We wouldn't even be seen as _foreign_ \- it would be seen as _that_ unusual. About the 'Towel Incident', I can only say that you would be seen by most as being _insane_. Yes, _insane_! You would be put in an _asylum_." Raven grit her teeth as her hands wrung together in worry. "Do you have any clue what happens to people in the mental hospitals of this era? Do you want that? At the very least, Ciel could have thrown a fit and kicked us out. You, yourself, wanted us to come here saying how much better it would be than starving in the treehouse!" At this point, Raven closed her eyes and sighed, her head drooping. "With how sick I was, being sent back there would have been awful! At the moment, I'm more than happy to accept his hospitality. A warm bed, food and this roof over our heads are good for now, until we figure out what to do. Did you notice how quiet Ciel was? He was most likely very annoyed and _shocked_ by our _incredibly_ rude and indecent behaviour. Also, did you realize that causing such a ruckus in this household could be tempting a _demon_ to become _angry with us_?" Raven shuddered, closing her eyes. "I've seen first hand how cruel human men can get. Just imagining how cruel a demon could get terrifies me beyond comprehension, especially after..."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Sebastian was in the kitchen adding some seasonings to one of tonight's main courses and suddenly his head cocked to the side.

What she had just said... made him _**angry**_. Something burned within him, scratching at the surface and threatening to overflow.

Sebastian's eyes glowed a dangerous fuschia color as they narrowed and his teeth began to elongate into deadly fangs.

"Baldroy! See to this until I return!" He nearly growled as he stormed out of the kitchen and out of the back of the manor, into the garden. He stalked about for a bit as he thought and fought to gain control of his temper. "I can wait no more." He muttered darkly to himself as he walked back into the manor minutes later. "I must find those ill-mannered humans and deal with them soon."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Kyra began crying very quietly and got on her knees in front of Raven, holding her around her waist and putting her head in Raven's lap. "I am so sorry, Raven. I never meant to stress you out like this and swear I won't do it again. I was afraid for your safety and still am. I will behave like an adult and think before acting. I swear I will do better."

Raven sighed, relieved with her friend's promise, and said, "You have already proved that to me with your apology to Ciel. I can only hope that Sebastian will take his lead about this. We may be stuck in this time and place for the rest of our lives, so we better get used to it."

"I was thinking the same," Kyra whispered. "My mom... I miss her so badly."

Raven stroked Kyra's hair and said, "I wish I could say I know how you feel but I don't. Really, the only person I would miss in my life is you." The friends embraced each other in silence for several moments. "About Sebastian..."

"Yeah?" Kyra looked up at her. "What about him?"

"After he brought us to the library, I asked him if I could talk to him after dinner," Raven said.

"Why? I thought 'demon equals stay away.'" Kyra asked curiously.

"Demon seems to know things that have to do with us, so if I ask I may learn what demon knows," Raven replied in a very silly voice. Kyra snorted, amused.

The girls giggled to themselves for a moment, and the conversation turned to the tea, the food they had and how different it was than what they expected. Talk eventually came around to the "stupid evil book."

"Have you looked at it at all?" Kyra asked.

"Well, no. I was being kept busy today by _someone_." Raven said giving the 'someone' a very dramatic fake mean look. "But let's go look and see if there is anything in there. Haha, maybe it will warn us not to eat a course at dinner," Raven joked.

Kyra laughed and replied "Well, the finger sandwiches were delicious! The sweets were a bit drier than I am used to, but they were good."

"I never would have guessed you would enjoy those sandwiches so much, Kyra!" Raven joked as they walked back to their rooms.

After walking around a bit, they finally found their rooms. They opened the door to Raven's and entered.

"Ah, here it is!" Raven said as she picked up the black book and sat on the bed.

Kyra closed the door, walked over and sat next to Raven.

Raven opened the book, turning the pages to see if anything new had appeared, and paled. There was a new entry. It had what looked like Sebastian's symbol on the page. Underneath, it said,

 _A symbol of protection, a symbol of unity._

 _Fear not your fated companion._

 _True acceptance will not harm thee; true acceptance will protect thee._

Raven stared at it and whispered, "Protect me from _what_?"

"Raven, that is the mark on your back!" Kyra practically hissed. "It looks the same! But I don't know what the book _means_. I wish it would just _say_ what it _means_!"

Raven opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Yes?" Raven called over. She had learned her lesson to not to open the door from last time.

"My ladies, dinner will be served shortly," a male voice spoke through the door. "Would you like Mey-Rin to be sent up to help you freshen up before dinner?"

Both girls turned to look at each other immediately. "Yes, please!" Both called back simultaneously, followed by giggling.

"Very well, then. I shall send her up immediately."

"Thank you!" Raven said. "I bet we both look horrid, don't we?" She giggled.

"You do," Kyra agreed, nodding.

"So do you! Your eyes especially!" Raven laughed.

"Pffft," Kyra snorted. "Back at you."

They continued their friendly banter for several minutes until Mey-Rin arrived, knocking on the door.

"Excuse me, m'ladies, I've come to help you freshen up!" She called through the door.

"Come in!" Kyra called, and the door opened, Mey-Rin walked in, closing the door behind her.

"Hello, m'ladies!" Mey-Rin bowed. "Mister Sebastian told me you requested me."

"Ah, yes..." Raven smiled. "We look horrible."

Mey-Rin looked up, surprised. She examined the girls closely before giggling. "Of course not. You just need your makeup fixed a bit."

"So, about that makeup lesson..." Kyra giggled, and Mey-Rin beamed.

"But of course, m'lady!" She giggled, and picked up the face powder brush from the dressing table."Attention! Attention, please! Class is now in session!" She exclaimed, tapping it three times across her hand. Face powder poofed around her from the brush, and Mey-Rin promptly started coughing.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

The girls had quietly followed Mey-Rin down the hallway to the dining room after Mey-Rin finished fixing their makeup, and now sat quietly at the large table. Ciel, of course, sat at the head while the girls were on the side.

"For today's appetizer, we have asparagus and ham timbales, and White Hall crackers topped with cheese," the black clad butler announced as he gracefully glided to Ciel and set a plate in front of him, and swiftly stepped over to set one in front of Raven and Kyra as well. "As for our beverages, we have a Jasmine Oolong tea, and for the young ladies, we have the option of a dry rosé wine, if you desire." He held an elegant looking bottle in his hands, his head tilted to the side as he smiled. "May I pour either of you a glass?"

The girls exchanged glances, Raven almost whispering a "No, thank you" while Kyra eyed the bottle greedily.

"Why, yes, thank you!" Kyra replied, giving Raven a stare which clearly stated, 'Have a drink with me; we deserve this to relax!' and was totally ignored.

"Of course, my lady." With an inhuman grace, Sebastian poured a single glass of wine and placed it in front of Kyra before stepping to the side.

"Well, then," the young earl spoke, daintily placing his napkin on his lap. "Now that we are all properly attired, I believe we have not yet formally introduced ourselves. I am Ciel Phantomhive, the Earl of Phantomhive."

Raven bowed her head to Ciel. "I am honoured to meet you, sir," she said gently as Kyra nearly jumped out of her seat and smacked her knee against the table, nearly rattling the silverware. Ciel blinked, bewildered, and stood as well.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir!" Kyra flushed, gently lifting her skirt and bowing deeply in an attempted curtsy, smacking her head against the table in the process. Her head smacked into her plate, pushing it slightly back and into her wine glass, which tilted into her glass of water, cascading down in a domino effect. "Oh!" She eeped, rising and watching in horror. "My apologies, Master Ciel, for my clumsiness!" She blurted, her eyes wide.

The girls silently eyed the bare wooden table in front of them as the Earl and Butler exchanged a look.

The Earl sighed. "Fine, go ahead."

A smirk grew on the butler's face as he stepped forward, a fresh tablecloth in his grasp. "It would be quite unseemly for the Phantomhive manor to serve their guests dinner without a tablecloth," he commented, shaking it out over the table as one would place a flat sheet on their bed. Before their eyes, the cloth gently settled _beneath_ their dishes. Sebastian smiled, running his fingers across the tablecloth as if to smooth out any folds or wrinkles. "Where would we be if a servant of Phantomhive couldn't do at least this much?"

Raven couldn't keep the smirk off her face as she watched the demon. She remembered him doing similar things before while she watched Kuroshitsuji. Maybe, for a moment, just for a moment, she could pretend she was back at home watching T.V. with Kyra.

Sebastian noticed the smile on Raven's face and he once again felt something strange - like he was _pleased_ with her smile. How peculiar. "Well, then. I believe we should continue our introductions," he smiled. The butler stepped forward. "Please allow me."

Everyone nodded, and they sat in silence for a moment, staring at his plastered on smile. Suddenly, Raven snorted, a hand covering her mouth as she struggled to contain her laughter. It had _actually happened_. She had _actually gotten to see it_ with her own eyes...

The ' _I have made a mistake_ ' _smile!_

Raven cleared her throat, grinning. "Mister Ciel, if I may?"

"Of course," he nodded, gesturing for her to continue as he and Kyra took their seats once more.

"My name is Raven Wright, and I am from America. My family is from the Chicago area," she introduced and then gestured to her friend. "This is Kyra Woodson, and she has come from the same place as myself. She is my best friend, though, in my heart, she is my sister."

The ' _I have made a mistake_ ' smile twitched on Sebastian's face as he poured Kyra a fresh glass of water and of wine.

After they finished their niceties and finished their appetizer, their next courses were introduced and brought out rather uneventfully. Their next course was Mulligatawny soup, followed by a raspberry sorbet as a palate cleanser (which the girls very much liked), then salad.

And then came... the main course.

A plate and a bowl were placed before each of them, and they stared in poorly masked disgust at the bowl.

"For our main course, we present the young master's favourite Stewed Eels and Croquettes of Fowl with Piquant Sauce," he smiled, his head tilted to the side.

The girls studied the bowl of eels for several moments before Raven hesitantly picked up the last spoon to the right of her dish and dipped it in the broth, Kyra following suit. It would be _incredibly_ rude of them to not at the very least sample something that was introduced as _the young master's favourite_.

After taking a sip, Raven let the spoon rest in the bowl, forcing a smile on her face as she turned to her friend. "Why, that is simply a splendid dish. The fowl also looks outstanding."

"Why, yes it does," Kyra agreed, taking the initiative to cut and try a piece. "Oh, and it tastes absolutely _divine_. My compliments to the chef."

The girls' obvious preference was duly noted by the butler. He was rather amused by their attempt to be polite about the whole thing, as well.

After Ciel and the young ladies had signified their food, the dessert was brought out.

"For dessert this evening, we have Blancmange and Stilton cheese, celery, and pulled bread," he bowed.

With the dessert, dinner was finished.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

The girls were silent as they sat in the library, waiting. It wasn't long until a knock sounded on the door.

"Please excuse my intrusion," Sebastian said, opening the door and walking inside. "I do believe you wished to speak to me, my lady?"

"Yes," Raven nodded, gesturing towards a seat in front of her and Kyra. "Please, have a seat. _We need to talk_."


	11. Chapter Eleven

_**Chapter Eleven:**_ _ **  
**_ _Precious to Me_

* * *

 _The butler blinked, surprised, when the_ young lady requested him to have a seat, but obliged.

"Now, I'm sure you have an idea of what I wish to speak to you about, Mister Sebastian."

"Yes, I suppose you wish to speak to me of _that_ , my lady," he responded.

"Yes, that _mark_. What makes you think you can do that to me without my permission?" Raven demanded rather brusquely.

His head tilted to the side. "Doesn't your very presence here suggest permission? Why would you even be here in London if you hadn't given your permission?" The demon rose a delicate eyebrow. "Do you not know what that mark symbolizes, my lady?"

"What, that you want me?" Raven replied rather sarcastically. She truly believed that, if anything, all the demon wanted from her was her soul.

The demon's eyes narrowed for a moment. "It means that _you are_ _ **mine**_."

Both of the girls' breaths caught in their throats at the demon's growl. It sounded... _possessive_. It sounded... _dangerous_.

Kyra swiftly stood. "AW, _HELL NAW!_ " She nearly screamed, grabbing Raven by the arm and starting to pull her away before stopping dead in her tracks. She turned and looked at Raven and _knew_ that she had done it again. The demon rose an eyebrow at the language, confused and amused. ' _Aw, Hell naw_ ,' she had said. He said nothing as Raven glowered at her friend, her mouth opening to speak. He admired the sight of her: so assertive, blunt and to the point.

"What did we talk about, Kyra?!" Raven scolded. "I told you I am not a rag doll to be dragged about by my arm. I am an adult who can decide for herself if and when I desire to leave the house, and then do so on my own power. The way you have been grabbing me lately _hurts_! You _do_ know you are stronger than me yet you keep grabbing me so roughly, you just don't know how that makes me feel!"

Kyra's head drooped throughout the scolding, several "I know"s escaping her lips as a mumble throughout. "I am trying, but it is _hard_. You _know_ what he is," she said, tears gathering in her eyes. "And you heard him just now! _He wants your soul_!"

A gloved hand appeared in Raven's sight and Sebastian gently tilted her head up with two fingers to look at him, gazing into her eyes. " _No, I do not_." His voice was ever so gentle as he spoke, his thumb nearly caressing her softly blushing cheeks. "You are mine, but _not like that_. That is _not_ a contract seal. I would never harm you nor try to devour your soul. _You_ , my kitten, are precious to me," he glanced at Kyra for a moment. "As are you, I suppose."

Raven swatted his hand away from her face and took several steps away from him. "If this is not a contract seal, then you need to tell me right now: _what exactly is it_?

"Oh, little kitten, I thought you knew," he frowned. "You are my mate. My mark on you is one of protection. Its purpose is to strengthen our bond. Without it, I could not heal you. The seal was and is an absolute necessity and it is of the utmost importance that you have it."

"I am your… _what_? No, no…" Raven shook her head, taking yet another step away from him. Her lips pursed as her thoughts were racing and she felt her heartbeat quickening. "Uhm, Kyra... I think you should wait for me in your room. Mister Sebastian and I have more to talk about than I thought. This cannot be…"

"Raven, that is what the book meant! I understand it now!" Kyra exclaimed as if a light bulb had just gone on in her head.

"Kyra, please just wait in your room. I will be up shortly," Raven retorted rather curtly.

"Yes, ma'am. Don't worry, I can find my own way to my room," Kyra sighed as she sauntered out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Raven nearly jumped when she felt a hand gently touch her back. "My little kitten, please have a seat," a soft voice purred in her ear. Without hesitation, she whirled around, smacking his hand away once more.

"Don't you ' _kitten_ ' me! _You_ go sit down, over... _there_!" She snapped, pointing at the seat he had once occupied. "And you _no touchy_! _This_ -" she gestured to herself and the space around her body, "- is a _hands off zone_! I am here only to talk."

Sebastian blinked, surprised. Oh... his little kitten had _fangs_... Fangs that he preferred bared at Kyra rather than himself, though the way she was trying to order him around was rather adorable... He decided he'd humour her this once and did as she demanded. She took a seat only after he did.

"How could you put this on me without my permission?" She demanded. "I want a clear understanding of your actions."

"My Lady, if I may," he bowed his head. "I marked you so soon and without your permission both for your protection and, most importantly, because you were on the verge of death. You had a very serious head injury and would not have lasted much longer. The wound on your abdomen surely did not help the issue, either." He spoke matter-of-factly, crossing his legs. "If I had not marked you, I could not have healed you. It is not as simple as whether I even _wanted_ to mark you, but rather if it was necessary - and it was."

Raven held up a hand. "Wait just a moment... From your wording, I gather that you planned on putting this mark on me from the moment you saw me but had to do it sooner than expected in order to save my life. _Why_ did you want to mark me?" She was very confused and frightened.

The demon sighed, closing his eyes for a brief moment and folding his hands together on his lap. "That would be because you are my mate, little one. It is what we do."

"Alright, then. You've said that twice now. What is a mate to you?"

Sebastian sighed once more. "Honestly, now, I did not think this would be an interrogation. Very well. I suppose you know absolutely nothing about what is happening to you, then? Has your augury told you nothing?"

"... What the heck is an _augury_?"

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Kyra's mind was completely focused on what Sebastian had said to Raven on her way back to her room.

" _You, my kitten, are precious to me._ "

By the time she had reached her room, she had come to her conclusion.

She had decided that, although he is a demon, he was, in some way, in love with Raven. By no means was this a normal kind of love - she didn't believe demons could love in the same way as humans - but in his own way. Kyra could only think that this was the absolute weirdest situation ever and it could only ever possibly happen to _Raven_.

' _I mean, yeah, I miss my mom, but I wouldn't miss this for the world! I mean, seriously, the experience of a lifetime and it can only be had..._ _ **if**_ _you are friends with Raven._ ' She mused, falling back onto her bed. ' _Oh, how I wish I had watched more of that show, now._ '

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

The demon hummed, his eyes piercing into his mate's, studying her closely. "You truly have not a clue."

"Tell me, then," Raven replied, repressing an uneasy shiver that threatened to course through her. "Stop beating around the bush. It will be easier if we get all of this out of the way now rather than later."

He hummed, closing his eyes for a moment once more. "An Augury of Fate can be many things, my lady. It takes form in the shape of something that holds meaning to the human who would be a demon's mate. It is meant to hold some form of information which will aid the human through this process in some way."

Raven sucked in a deep breath. "So my augury would be that weird book."

He smiled, tilting his head to the side in affirmation. "I see we are getting somewhere. I am sure this book has told you at least something about this situation, has it not?"

In response, Raven reached out and picked up a black book from under the table between them and set it on her lap. "It has said some strange things. The first page had strange writing in another language and instructions. Following them brought Kyra and I to London. The second page told us where we were and the date. After that gave us addresses, and after that told us a cat needed to be rescued and told us where," Raven listed. "The latest page has, once again, confused me."

"Might I ask what it says?"

In response, her eyes narrowed. "Of course, but only after you have answered a previous question of my own. What exactly is a mate to you?"

The smile disappeared from his face. "Back to that, are we?"

"Indeed, we are, and I do believe it very much concerns me," Raven replied. "I want answers to my many questions, and you have them."

"Very well," Sebastian sighed. "What is a mate to me? The question you ask of me is a rather difficult one to answer, as the answer itself highly depends on you."

The demon paused for a moment, a thoughtful look crossing his face. Raven patiently waited for him to continue.

"I honestly did not ever expect that I would have the great honour of having a soulmate. I had never given it any thought. I had only heard rumours of such a thing ever happening and thought it utter rubbish, yet here you sit before me, asking me what you are to me..." A smirk found its way to his lips at this. "I find that rather amusing." A thoughtful expression graced his face once more as he rested his chin on a hand. "What is a mate to me...? An eternal companion, perhaps? The one and only being I will ever have by my side for eternity? The only one I expect to ever be able to trust completely? Yet this is only if I play my pieces correctly, and only if a little human like you is able to handle a demon such as myself. It is more likely that you will never be able to accept me, which would be a rather disappointing outcome. No demon of my stature has had a successful bonding with his mate. There are only three close to my stature who have claimed to have found their mate, yet none of them have one by their side," he mused. "Ah, please do forgive my rambling. It seems I have gotten a bit off topic."

Raven said nothing, merely staring at him as if willing him to continue speaking.

"I suppose that, to me, you are a potential companion. You are someone I hope will be with me for the rest of my eternity. It very well might not turn out as such, however, it is my intent that this be what you are to me."

Raven pondered over this for a moment. "I'm only human, though, Sebastian. How do you expect me to be your companion for so long? I will grow old and die within a century."

Another smirk grew on the demon's face. "This is where the troubles lie. There are only two ways for a demon's mate to have their lifespan lengthened to match their mate's. The first is for both to come together in a spiritual harmony, to _completely_ accept one another," he informed her, leaning back slightly into the chair. "It is a rather romantic notion, if I do say so myself. The other way is not so pleasant for the human. Should they be incapable of mutual true acceptance, the demon can simply overwhelm his mate with his aura, and, rather than their souls exist in harmony, it would be one of chaos and despair. I do believe any human would simply break if such a thing were to occur." His head tilted to the side as he gazed at the young lady before him. "The latter is rather easy to do, but I must say I would prefer the former. Do you not agree?"

Raven's hands were clenched into a fist, resting on her lap. She let out a shaky breath. "It does seem to be the... better option."

He smiled gently, his head cocked to the side. "I am glad that you agree."

"What you just explained actually makes what the book said a bit more clear, and I have the feeling that I know the answer to what I am about to ask, yet... I will ask it anyway." Raven opened the book to the sixth page. "This page has a mark on it, identical to the cover of the book and the cover page. Underneath it, it says something I believe is meant to be advice: ' _A symbol of protection, a symbol of unity. Fear not your fated companion. True acceptance will not harm thee; true acceptance will protect thee,_ '" she read aloud. "Protect me from _what_ , exactly? From... you?"

"Possibly... however, it could also be interpreted otherwise. As I have said, I never truly believed in this idea of mates; I thought it was only stories. The stories do say that demons'mates are hunted by other beings who do not want us to have a soul mate. I do not know if this is just a story or the truth. I am trying to find that out now. I am not trying to frighten you, just to inform you. Understand that this situation is new to me as well," Sebastian replied dryly.

"... Oh," Raven muttered, her head drooping. "... This is ridiculous. Sebastian, I don't think I can do this and I think it is best that Kyra and I leave. I am sorry, Sebastian, but this is _such_ an _impossible_ situation. I don't want to be anyone's mate. I am not ready for this," Raven said as her bottom lip trembled. She felt as though she were about to break and saw no way out.

The demon's lips pursed and his eyes narrowed. "My little kitten, that is not possible. If the stories are true, that would put you and Kyra in danger, and we simply _cannot have that_ , now _can_ we? This is not even to mention that you two have no place to go, no home to hide in, and no way to find sufficient food or shelter, or the fact that you are wanted by the yard as witches."

A strange sound escaped her throat as she paled and squeezed her eyes closed. " _We still have to deal with that..._ " She muttered.

"Indeed," Sebastian replied smoothly. "I fear that you have no choice in _that_ matter, _but wait_! I can _give_ you a choice." Sebastian said softly, as he walked up to Raven and put his face very near to hers, a devilish smile on his lips. "The choice which I will give to you is a _very_ important one. It will determine how you live your life and how our relationship will be forged."

"And what is this choice, Sebastian?" Raven asked, sounding much more confident than she felt.

Sebastian knelt down on one knee so that he could look into her downturned face. "First, you must understand me, and know this to the core of your very soul. I swear on my name that I will do everything within my power to never purposefully hurt you or Kyra. I will protect you both to the very utmost of my being. I will never lie to you. I will do my best to ensure your happiness, for _both_ of you. As I now know how important Kyra is to you, she is now just as important (albeit very annoying) to me. Now, do you understand this? If you were to leave, it would be for nothing, as I would have to go with you." Sebastian stared into her eyes, searching to see if she truly understood what he was saying.

"Yes, I understand this. I need to know. What choice I do have?" Raven demanded.

"Of course. I will give you time to make your decision, however, if you attempt to leave or do something else just as foolish, the choice will be made _for_ you. _That_ , I promise you." His eyes narrowed, his gaze like steel, conveying the sincerity and gravity of his words. "Now, you have two options: _**be mine, or make me yours.**_ I know that this is going to be difficult for you," he smiled, "but I do have patience. I will endeavour to make this as easy and pleasurable as possible, if you are willing to try and do the same. I am patient and will wait for your decision. I only ask that you make the decision within a reasonable amount of time," Sebastian spoke softly, the corners of his mouth just slightly upturned.

"I see," Raven replied, her back rigid as she forced a neutral expression on her face. "Thank you for your patience. I do need time. Please advise me when you think I am running out of time if I haven't met your deadline. This will take a great deal of thought," Raven said in a very businesslike manner. "I believe I need to rest now and will go to my room. We will talk again soon, of that I am sure." Raven said as she began to rise to leave, but was stopped by a gloved hand pressing gently on her leg, keeping her in place.

"Yes, kitten, of that I am also sure," Sebastian agreed, "yet there is one more thing I would like to ask you before you go."

Raven bit her lip, her skin paling as nervousness bubbled in her chest. "And what might that be, Mister Sebastian?"

A hand pressed to the side of her head on the couch and one finger tilted her chin up once more as the demon leaned over her, staring deeply into her eyes. "My dear little kitten... Who is Tyson and where can I find him?"

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

The door to Kyra's room swung open and Raven marched in, swinging the door shut behind her.

"Oh, Kyra!" She gasped as she swiftly walked to her and threw her arms around her friend. "I need this hug right now," she said softly.

"You are going to be okay!" Kyra assured Raven, wrapping her arms around her friend and gently rubbing her back. "I am sure this is going to be okay."

"How can you be so sure, Kyra? He says I am his mate, and I have no choice of saying no. How is this okay?" Raven whimpered.

"Because you are so important to him, I think in his own way - yeah, I can't believe I am saying this either - _he loves you_. _That_ is why it is going to be alright. You are, by far, the most intelligent person I have met! The way you watch and listen, then think over all the facts before you make decisions. _You_ are the reason this will be okay!" Kyra exclaimed. " _And_ because I am here to help you as much as I can."

Raven smiled at her and said "Well, that part I knew. I am _so_ glad I am not alone in this. Well... he did offer me an option to make a decision over something. It is rather like a riddle, I think."

"He talks like the book?" Kyra sighed, exasperated. ' _If he talks like the book, we are doomed._ '

"... Sort of? He said either I become his, or I make him mine. What in the _world_ does that _mean_? He also said that we cannot leave, and I am possibly in danger from unknown entities that he isn't sure are real. He said that is from stories he has heard but doesn't know if they were true. He said this is new to him also, so I guess we have to just do the best we can. Any thoughts, Kyra?" asked Raven.

"Well, I can tell you this! That is rather self-explanatory! You can answer him now! _You make him yours!_ That will give you more authority over the entire situation, and you _need_ that. Make him yours!" Kyra insisted.

"Do you think that is the difference? That the power or authority in our relationship will be the person who makes the other one theirs? I thought of that, but it could be more, don't you think? I don't know... I am just so tired right now. I cannot think straight," Raven sighed as she leaned on her friend.

"Well, you are probably right. I'm sure there's more to this than what I am picking up, but somehow I'm sure that I'm right on this. You must make him yours, and then learn as you go with the rest. Do you want to go to your room and go to bed now?" Kyra asked, hoping her friend would decline, as she was full of adrenaline from all this happening.

"No, not yet. It is too early. I need to think about all this, but... I don't want to right now," Raven admitted, sighing and closing her eyes.

"Yeah, we need to relax a bit. It's been a long, _long_ day," Kyra agreed. "Want to sleep with me tonight?"

"Yeah..." Raven muttered. "Strange thing, too. He asked me about Tyson."

" _ **REALLY**_ now?!" Kyra perked up, her eyes wide. "What did he ask?! What did you tell him?!"

Raven grumbled something unintelligible before sighing. "He asked me who exactly he was and where he could find him. I told him I didn't want to talk about it. I don't even know _how_ he _knows_ about Tyson... Right, though it's probably because he's _a fucking demon_..."

"It's rather interesting that he is asking," Kyra mused. "Maybe you should just get some sleep. You've been through a lot today, what with almost dying and finding out you're a 'fucking demon's' mate."

Raven sighed. "Yeah, you're probably right."

Kyra helped Raven out of her corset and petticoats and cuddled a bit until she fell asleep.

Once she was sure her friend was asleep, a smirk grew on her face and she carefully slipped out of the bed and out her door, turning to close it. She turned around and jumped, her eyes wide as she stared at the butler who had _not_ been there just a moment ago.

"Well-" Kyra began, falling silent when the butler held a finger to his lips, telling her to be quiet as he gestured to the door and then to follow him. She smirked and nodded, and followed the demon down the hallway.


	12. Chapter Twelve

_**Chapter Twelve:**_ _ **  
**_ _I Could Run Forever_

* * *

 _A knock sounded on the door and_ _Raven_ groaned, nuzzling deeper into the blankets as the door opened a moment later.

"Pardon my intrusion, my lady. I have come to help you dress for the day," a female voice chirped. She heard footsteps crossing the room and a rustle of fabric before a bright light made her groan. The voice giggled. "Good morning, Lady Raven and Miss Kyra."

"... Huh?" Another voice groggily muttered as a blonde blob surfaced from the ball of blankets. "Mom? Don't worry about it, I'll make breakfast today..."

The young maid softly smiled at the young lady as she stood up and glanced around her, quickly becoming confused. "My lady, you're in the Phantomhive manor, remember?"

Kyra's head snapped toward Mey-Rin and she jumped backward onto the bed. "Oh my God!"

"Get off me!" A muffled voice beneath her cried out.

"OH!" Kyra eeped, moving back again. "Sorry, Raven!"

Mey-Rin put a hand over her mouth to muffle a giggle as she walked over the cart she had left near the door. "Today, we have a delicious blend of Ceylon Assam and Keemun tea from the tea house of Ahmad Tea," she said as she strained two cups of tea and handed them one at a time to the girls, who were now sitting on the edge of the bed. "Today, I'm afraid the young master has a very busy schedule and will not be able to join you for breakfast, yes he does. With that said, he has requested to speak with you in his free hour at ten o'clock."

"Hmm, I wonder what this will be about?" Kyra pondered, sipping her tea.

"Thank you, Mey-Rin. Well, Kyra, we will find out soon enough," Raven replied.

"In addition, you have an appointment with Miss Nina Hopkins this afternoon," Mey-Rin smiled. "Mister Sebastian has sent for her to see to your clothing needs. That will be directly after lunch."

"Oooh, new clothes!" Kyra squealed. Raven nodded, smiling slightly as she stared into her teacup.

"Lady Raven and Lady Kyra, which one of you would like to get ready for the day first?" Mey-Rin asked.

"Oh, I will go first," Kyra replied.

Mey-Rin nodded in acknowledgement. "I believe Mister Sebastian said there were clothes sent up last night, yes he did." She hummed as she placed the washing bowl on Kyra's dressing table for her to freshen up.

"Oh? I did not see anyone bring anything up. Did you, Raven?" Kyra asked. Her friend merely shook her head as she sipped her tea.

"Well, I will find where they were placed while the two of you freshen up," Mey-Rin said as she walked to the door and brought in the second washing bowl. She placed it on the other side of the dressing table. Mey-Rin went to the wardrobe and peered inside. "Hm, it is not here. I shall check in the other room," she mused, leaving the two girls alone.

"I wonder what will be served for breakfast? I am pretty hungry today. How about you, Raven?" Kyra pondered.

Raven was sitting on the bed, staring off into the distance while twirling a lock of her hair.

"Raven? Are you okay?" Kyra asked, hoping for an answer this time.

"Huh?" She blinked as if just waking up again.

"I was asking if you were hungry, Ray, but you were spaced out. Are you alright?"

"Oh. Yeah. Er, _yes_ , I am hungry, and I'm fine," Raven nodded.

Kyra rose a sceptical eyebrow. ' _Oookay, I think I see where_ this _is going._ '

"Ah, we are all set! Mister Sebastian must not have wanted to disturb you; he left everything over here," Mey-Rin chirped, carrying a tray of makeup into the room, leaving it on the bed while the girls finished freshening up. "He also left a set of makeup for Miss Kyra."

"Oh, yay!" Kyra beamed. "Today, I would like the eyeliner and just a bit of powder. That should do until dinner."

"And what would you like, Miss Raven?" Mey-Rin asked, turning to look at Raven.

"I believe I will do the same," Raven replied absentmindedly.

"Very well. Miss Kyra, are you finished with that now?" Mey-Rin asked as she walked back to the dressing table.

"Yes, thank you, Mey Rin," Kyra said as she stared over at the tray with the makeup.

Mey-Rin took the wash bowl and placed it on the floor outside the door and came back into the room.

"I am also finished," Raven said as she finished her tea.

Mey-Rin placed the tray of makeup on the dressing table and then took the second wash bowl out of the room. When she came back in, she immediately started combing out Kyra's hair. The girls soon finished getting ready for the day and went down for breakfast. In the room, Sebastian was waiting for them with the table already set.

"Today's breakfast is scrambled eggs served with rashers of bacon, rolls served with butter and strawberry preserves, and hot chocolate," Sebastian announced, a polite smile gracing his lips.

The girls were quiet during breakfast but for a few exchanged words.

"What would you like to do this morning before the meeting with Master Ciel?" Kyra asked.

"Well, I know I would love to go to the library, lay in that chaise lounge and read," Raven replied.

"Oh," Kyra said, with disappointment clear in her voice.

"Alone, if you don't mind," Raven said very quietly, her eyes carefully studying Kyra's face.

' _Whoop, there it is!_ ' Kyra's eyes lit up. ' _I'm getting better at reading her._ ' "That's fine. I was just thinking I could use some fresh air."

"If I may, my lady," Sebastian spoke up. "The Phantomhive estate boasts a wide variety of beautiful flowers in its garden. If you would like some fresh air this morning, I do suggest you visit it. I believe you would enjoy it."

"That sounds wonderful. I believe I will," Kyra smiled.

"Good. Now that that is settled, I believe I will go wander in the library a bit. I will see you in an hour or so." Raven rose from the table and began making her way to the library.

"Would you like to go to the garden now?" Sebastian asked as he stacked the dishes onto the cart.

"Certainly. Thank you, Sebastian."

"Right this way, Miss Kyra," Sebastian motioned as he opened the french door leading out to the gardens. "I noticed Miss Raven seemed rather reserved this morning. Might I ask if everything is alright?"

"Oh, that's just Raven being Raven. She is rather like a cat, wanting to be near you and get pet… until she doesn't. She just isn't big on people."

Sebastian smiled slightly. _How cute_ , he mused as they approached the garden. "Ah, I see Finnian, our gardener, is working already. If you would like information such as the variety of flowers, please do not hesitate to ask him."

"Oh, that will not be necessary, thank you. I just want the fresh air and to walk a bit." Kyra looked up at the sky, feeling the sun on her face and smiled.

"As you wish," the butler bowed. "If you do not require anything else, I must be on my way. Please excuse me."

Kyra merely nodded as she inhaled deeply, closing her eyes. The flowers smelled nice, and today it was sunny. It was cool out, being the end of October and all, but the weather was nice and she felt herself finally relaxing.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Raven was silent as she curled up comfortably on the chaise lounge with a book. This time, she had actually paid attention to what she was picking up. Rather than a book about a bird's anatomy, she held _A Study in Scarlet_ , the first novel published by Arthur Conan Doyle. It was the first novel of Sherlock Holmes.

She hadn't been in the library but a few minutes by herself before the door quietly opened and closed. She peeked over her shoulder, curious.

Sebastian quietly walked in, a few books held in his arms. He sauntered over to a bookshelf near Raven and began returning them to the shelf. "Hello, kitten," he spoke, glancing over at her with a smile. "Are the books in our library to your liking? We can arrange for any others if it would suit your tastes. Please do not hesitate to let me know."

Raven twitched as she eyed him and his... _odd_ smile. "That's quite alright. I can make do with these for now."

"Very well," Sebastian said as he reached out and stroked her hair ever so gently. In response, she recoiled a bit, staring at him in shock. "I will leave you to your reading," he said, flashing her another smile as he made his way toward the door to leave.

' _ **That was the cat smile!**_ 'she realized as the door closed. ' _He is giving me the_ _ **cat smile!**_ ' Raven held her head in her hands, completely confused. ' _Please don't tell me he's obsessed with me as he is with cats. I don't want him to try and cuddle me like a cat. Just him petting my head like that made my skin crawl._ '

She sighed and shook her head. She was in here to read and relax, not to stress out about a creepy demon. Setting those thoughts aside, she continued reading her book.

About fifteen minutes had passed when she heard the door quietly opening and closing once again. Peeking over her shoulder confirmed her suspicion: ' _Oh, yes indeed, he is back again!_ ' This time, he was dusting the shelves with a feather duster. Raven was determined to ignore him and just continue reading her book. Doing just that, she turned a bit so her back was towards him and held her book closer to her face. Any sane person could tell at a glance that she wanted to be left alone. Sebastian continued dusting, pausing every now and then to stare at her with that _odd_ smile, making her uncomfortable. ' _If I ignore him, he will go away,_ ' she figured.

And so he did, just a few minutes later, much to her relief.

Raven smiled slightly, turning another page. She was fairly certain he had no other reason to come to the library. She'd finally get some alone time.

Ten minutes later, she nearly groaned as she heard the door open and close once more. Her plans were, once more, foiled. A quick glance told her that, _yes_ , Sebastian was _once again_ in the library. What in the blazes could he want _this_ time?

Her gaze stayed fixed on her book, so she didn't notice when he stopped beside her.

She jerked in surprise when something was gently laid and wrapped around her. "Little kitten, I have brought you a blanket," a voice purred near her ear. "I noticed you were shivering earlier. We can't have you falling _ill_ , now, can we?"

Raven grit her teeth, her eyebrow twitching. ' _You idiot, that's not why I was shivering! Be polite, Raven, be polite._ ' "Thank you," she ground out. ' _Don't say a word! Don't say a word!_ ' she mentally chanted.

The demon merely smiled. "If there is anything you would like, please, do not hesitate to call for me. I will come to your side with post haste."

"Of course. Thank you," Raven muttered. Sebastian left shortly thereafter.

Raven waited a few moments before standing up, wrapping the throw around her shoulders and holding the book to her chest. She tiptoed over to the door and tentatively opened it, glancing around the hallway and quickly seeing that no one was around. Without further ado, she escaped to her room. Laying in her bed, she sighed in relief at finally being alone. She opened the book and had read a few chapters when someone knocked on the door.

She felt something within her snap.

" _WHAT DO YOU WANT?!_ " she screamed, her eyes twitching in pure and utter annoyance.

"... M-m-m-miss Raven?! I am so sorry to disturb you, but it is time for tea. Tea is being served in the Master's study," Mey-Rin replied with a quivering voice and she quickly scampered away.

Once again, Raven put her face in her hands. ' _I did it again. Now I have to apologize to Mey-Rin for being bitchy. I wish I could deal with being around people better than this, but I can't. It's already time for tea and I still haven't decompressed.'_ " _ **Damnit!**_ " Raven growled as she slammed the book closed and went to her dressing table chair to put her shoes back on. It was time to go to tea and find out what Ciel wanted to speak to them about. Maybe she could have some time after the tailor finished with her?

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

"Good, I see we are all here now. Please, make yourselves comfortable," Ciel said quietly, as he waited for the ladies to be seated. He sat after they did.

"Ladies, we must discuss the problem you encountered in town with the bobby. You see, there are many rumours about town at the moment," Sebastian began.

"Yes, that is a problem, but it is now made much larger as the Queen has asked me to look into the matter," Ciel said. "I cannot ignore the Queen's orders and must find a solution to this problem. Sebastian and I have discussed this at great length and have come up with a solution we deemed the best."

"What is the solution?" asked Kyra, not feeling comfortable with the fact that both Ciel and Sebastian seemed to be talking directly to her and not Raven. ' _Am I to be a sacrificial lamb? Why do they keep looking at me while they are talking?_ '

"Miss Kyra, your hair identifies you as one of the suspects. It is a rather ' _unique_ ' length and hairstyle. We have decided you must change it." Sebastian stated it as a matter of fact, not open to discussion.

Raven was stunned. She _knew_ her friend was not going to like this _at all_.

"B... But I _hate_ my hair being long! It is such a bother to take care of! It is my body and my choice!" Kyra stammered.

"You must-" Sebastian began, stopping when he felt a gentle tug on one of his tailcoat tails. When he turned, Raven motioned for him to come close.

Raven whispered, "It would be best for Mister Ciel to handle this; do try to stay out of it, will you?" Sebastian simply nodded.

"I understand all of that, Miss Kyra. Now, would you please allow me to explain so you understand the full breadth of this matter?" Ciel asked, watching her for a signal that she would listen.

Kyra nodded in agreement and waited.

"The police officer you encountered has an _impeccable_ reputation. The locals respect and admire him, so what he says carries much weight in town. If he says he saw something strange, then they will believe it is so. This is the man who saw two 'witches' in an alley." Ciel rested his chin on the back of his hand. "The police have a description of a tall young woman with wild, short, blonde hair who can make light, bright as the sun, appear from the palm of her hand. Does that sound like someone you know, Miss Kyra?"

While Kyra flushed and was at a loss for words, he continued.

"They have the description of a beautiful young woman with ebony locks, who was much shorter when compared to her companion. This young lady was holding a thick book and could dispel the other woman's light with a simple touch. Does this sound familiar, my lady?"

Raven stared at him expressionlessly. "Painfully so."

"The one with long ebony locks, this woman was rather small and short in stature. Do we know this person? Yes, of course we do, but this description also fits hundreds, if not _thousands_ , of other ladies in town, and the surrounding farms. Now, the other woman, she was taller. In American measurement, she is said to be around 5'6" tall, with lighter coloured hair that was short, a bit longer than a man's hairstyle. The punishment for witchcraft is death by hanging or drowning. We cannot have that. There are not that many ladies of your stature, but there are others, many I can name, who also have a similar hair colour, however not one has the correct length to fit this description. To make sure that you do _not_ fit this description, we cannot make you shorter, but can instead change the length of your hair." Ciel said, leaning back in his chair. She looked as if she was ready to cry, but was no longer objecting. ' _Good, she is keeping her word on her behaviour and coming to terms with this._ ' "The Queen herself is worried of these two witches. I do believe it would be in your best interests to remain here for a while longer than you had anticipated. In addition, Miss Kyra's hair must be grown out in order to aid in hiding your identities."

Kyra was visibly upset about this - she felt her hair helped to define her personality, _who she was_. She was on the verge of tears as Ciel explained how this would happen.

"For your safety, Sebastian will provide you with a potion that you will drink every day to speed up your hair growth, so the problem will be solved more quickly. As for the police bobby, Sebastian and I shall deal with him shortly. You are under my protection and I will do whatever is necessary to put an end to this problem. Now, do you have any questions?" Ciel glanced over both of the girls, who nodded in submission. "Very good. Now we can enjoy the remainder of our tea in peace," Ciel stated, ending the discussion. He and Sebastian locked glances and silently agreed that their plan would be put into motion.

Sebastian handed Kyra a crystal bottle with a pale blue liquid in it and a small crystal glass. "You must drink two glasses of this every day: one in the morning, the other in the afternoon. Do you see this marking on the glass? Fill it to that mark. Your hair will grow quickly, and I believe the appearance will be very acceptable to you," he instructed, noting with satisfaction that Miss Kyra was indeed paying attention to his directions. "I do also want to remind you that it is no longer your job to care for your hair. It is Mey-Rin's job to brush it, style it, wash it, and otherwise care for it. You need not worry about such a thing."

Kyra silently stared at the crystal bottle. "I understand."

Ciel had been tapping his fingers on his desk and seemed to be pondering something. "Ladies, may I ask you a question please?" he asked, lacing his fingers together.

"Why, of course," Raven answered.

"The light the bobby was referring to. What was it? What light could possibly be that bright, and then put out so quickly?" Ciel questioned before taking a sip of his tea.

"Oh, that was just my cell phone," blurted Kyra, who was promptly smacked by Raven. She instantly paled. "Shit! Sorry!"

"Well, alright then. Mister Sebastian, I will need you to take me somewhere, sooner rather than later, if possible. Mister Ciel, please be patient. I will have to demonstrate what that light was for you to understand," Raven said as she firmly stared at Kyra. Now that a cell phone was mentioned, it would be much easier to explain should she retrieve it for a demonstration. There was no point in hiding it any longer.

Kyra's head hung downward. "I'm sorry..."

Raven sighed and waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine, don't worry about it. If it's just these two, it should be alright."

Ciel hummed, his eye fixated on the two girls. "Alright then. Sebastian. After tea, take Miss Raven wherever she needs. This should be interesting."

"Yes, my Lord," Sebastian smirked as he bowed.

After tea, Raven found herself alone with the butler, trying desperately to give him an estimation of the area that their belongings were buried in.

"I believe I know the area; we may have some walking to do to find the exact spot," Sebastian said, a hand on his chin as he thought.

"I hope so. I have told you everything that I remember. Could Kyra possibly help you pin it down more? I can go get her," Raven offered.

Sebastian smiled. "No, that's quite alright. We need not trouble her for this; we will find it." Without further ado, Sebastian lifted the young lady up in his arms, and she did not miss his smile. "Please excuse me. We must travel swiftly in order to return in time for lunch."

Before Raven could even blink, they were outside, travelling swiftly away from the manor. Over the wind, Sebastian could easily hear her surprised scream: " _ **OHMYGOD!**_ "

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Sebastian had to admit to himself that he was quite reluctant to cease his swift mode of travel or let Raven know that it was over. A moment after her surprised scream, she had rather tightly wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck.

He sighed as he came to a stop in the field he believed she had been referring to. Yes, although she was trembling in fear from his method of travel, it was a rather nice feeling he had from her embracing him as she was. Sadly, however, he had to let her know they had arrived and asked her which direction she believed her items to be buried in.

"We have arrived, my dear kitten," he said, hiding his slight pout when she slowly rose her head and leaned a bit away from him. Her face was coloured slightly red in what seemed to be embarrassment. "Do you recognise this field, my lady?"

Raven's eyes closely examined her surroundings. "Yes, I believe so. If I remember correctly, it's buried in that direction," she replied, pointing just to their left. "If you put me down, I will show you."

"Of course I can't do that," Sebastian replied, aghast. "I cannot have a lady such as yourself walk around in a field. You would dirty your dress, and we simply cannot have that."

Raven sighed as Sebastian started in the direction she had pointed out. "Alright then."

A few minutes later, Raven told him to stop. "It's right down here," she said, pointing at the ground. Indeed, it looked as though it had been dug up recently.

The demon nodded, gently setting Raven down on her feet. He pulled a cloth from his pocket and deftly held in in front of her face. A moment later, he removed it to reveal a table resting on an elegant Persian rug with a beautiful linen tablecloth draping over the aforementioned table. Two upholstered wing chairs rested on either side of it. Placed on the table was a lovely large ceramic teapot with a matching plate of cookies and a single teacup with a saucer.

"Please, have a seat," he smiled, one hand on his chest as the other gestured to a chair.

"Why, thank you." Raven was glad to be able to sit down and relax after that... _ride_ , so to speak, and so she did. Sitting in the chair, she decided that, though he was a demon, he certainly understood human comfort. The chair was the most comfortable one she had ever had the pleasure of sitting in.

"This hot chocolate should aid in calming your nerves a bit," Sebastian smiled, pouring her a cup to drink. "I know you are not used to my method of travel yet."

Raven giggled. "Hey, you forgot the mini marshmallows!" She teased.

Sebastian set down the teapot. "Ah, do you mean these?" He asked with a smirk, lifting up a small bowl of miniature marshmallows from behind the teapot and setting it near her plate.

Raven snorted, covering her mouth in an attempt to stifle her giggles. "You smart aleck!"

Sebastian smiled slightly, quite pleased with how things were going. "This will take but a moment."

Raven stared blankly as a shovel appeared from thin air and he quickly began uncovering the clothes they had painstakingly buried. She idly picked up a few of the marshmallows and dropped them in her hot chocolate and gently stirred it with her spoon. "I remember when I was very young, my mother used to make me hot chocolate, with mini marshmallows," she recalled, a wistful expression on her face as she stared at her drink, talking to no one in particular but herself. Of course, she also had to give a little jab at Sebastian: "Of course, she _always_ had the pastel coloured ones. We would sit and talk about everything and anything."

Unbeknownst to her, he raised an eyebrow as he lifted a bundle of clothes from the small hole.

Raven lifted her cup to take a sip and paused, her eyes slightly widened. The marshmallows were no longer white and fluffy; they were pastel shades of blue, green, yellow and pink. "You _smart aleck!_ "

He stood back up and turned to look over his shoulder at her with a smile. "Anything you desire, my kitten, you need only mention." She merely shook her head in amusement and sipped her hot chocolate. "Is this what you needed, my lady?" Sebastian asked, displaying the bundle of clothes.

"Yes, that has everything," she nodded, setting down the cup and expectantly holding her hands out for it. He gently dusted it off and handed the suddenly-clean clothes to her. "Thank you," she murmured, as she popped a marshmallow in her mouth. He merely smiled in response and re-filled the hole before carelessly throwing the shovel over his shoulder. She stared blankly at the shovel as it flew through the air and simply vanished mid-air. "... Okay, then." With a sigh, she pulled out Kyra's cell phone from the bundle of clothes and held down the power button. Raven wasn't sure whether to be happy or upset when the screen lit up and the Android began powering on. On one hand, with it working, it would make explaining the light much easier, yet on the other hand, it working gave her more things to explain. Soon enough, she was greeted by the sight of the lock screen. The background was a picture of the two of them together with Kyra's grumpy pet cat. Her lips twitched at the sight. They had had to chase the cat down for that picture. The cat wasn't really a people kitty. The moment after the picture was taken, the cat had leapt straight out of Raven's arms and scampered off somewhere.

Raven was not surprised to see several red "X"s and a few error icons on the top bar of the screen. No wifi, no data, and no phone service. It was, quite obviously, expected. She tapped in the password and opened Kyra's flashlight app.

"Sebastian, this is what the officer saw that night," Raven said, switching it on. "It's kind of hard to see in daylight, but here..." She adjusted the phone a bit to hold it as Kyra had. "This is how she was holding it. From the angle he was looking at us from, he couldn't see the phone; it looked like the light was coming from her hand. When I realised where and, most importantly, _when_ we were, I reached over and turned off the light, like this," she demonstrated swiping on the screen and turning off the light.

Sebastian peered at the device with mild interest. "I see, though you need not prove anything to me. I already know that you are not a witch, though, now, I do have a question for you, little kitten."

"Hm?" She looked up at him. "What is it?"

He smirked, settling in the chair across from her. "You said you realised ' _when_ ' you were. Might I inquire as to what you meant by that?"

Raven stared silently at him for several long moments. ' _Shit,_ ' she silently cursed herself, fiddling with the phone and turning it off to stall a bit. ' _Well, we had to tell them eventually, especially because of the cell phone. I was hoping we could just say it was a prototype form of technology being developed or something. Wishful thinking, I know._ '

Sebastian remained silent, allowing her to gather her thoughts.

"Well..." She murmured, slipping the cell phone in an outer pocket Mey-Rin had pointed out earlier that morning. "This is going to sound rather... _crazy_..." She lifted a hand to play with a long strand of hair, twirling and twisting it nervously around her finger.

A gentle hand covered hers, pulling it away from her hair and tenderly holding it. "Whatever it is, remember that you need not fear me, and, my kitten, I may understand more than you believe," Sebastian spoke softly to her.

She sucked in a deep breath and let it out shakily. "Kyra and I are from... a… different... world?" She said hesitantly. "And... time? I don't know how to explain this. She and I are from the year 2017."

His head tilted to the side. "While that does explain my question, I have another, yet. You both seem to know a bit more of the young master and I than you should. Why is this?"

Raven chuckled uncomfortably. "I was hoping you wouldn't notice that. Damn you and your observational skills." An amused smile twitched on his face at that. "Well... How does one put this so it doesn't sound insulting?" She turned to look him in the face. "I'm just going to say that this is the _truth_ , and _please_ don't take it the wrong way. Where I come from, there is something called a 'manga'. It's pretty much a picture book, only better. There's a particular manga in my world called ' _Kuroshitsuji_ ', and it's a fictional story about, well... your contract with Ciel." She breathed, her eyes averted once more.

Sebastian blinked once, surprised. "Why is it fiction?"

Raven gritted her teeth and rose, slamming her hands on the table. " _ **BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE**_ _ **REAL**_ _ **! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A CHARACTER IN A BOOK FOR ENTERTAINMENT! DEMONS! AREN'T! SUPPOSED! TO BE!**_ _ **REAL**_ _ **!**_ " She exploded and took several deep breaths to calm herself before sitting back down. " _None_ of this is supposed to be real," she whispered, her head down. " _None_ of this."

Sebastian silently watched her, picking up the salty scent of her tears. Last night, he had gotten Kyra to reveal that they were from a different timeline, so he had deduced they hailed from another realm, but that... _manga_ thing, he was not expecting. It was no wonder that she felt so conflicted. If his contract with the young master had been on display for her... He could only imagine what she had seen him do. "Oh, little kitten..." He murmured. "There are many different realms. I have visited but a few, and am rather partial to this one." He shook his head. "The Fates were not kind to you. In some ways, you may know too much for your own good."

" _Y'know_..." She sighed, rubbing an eye and still looking down at her lap. "It would be a lot easier if I didn't know that, but I can't forget. It's all things I have to remember. Kuroshitsuji was all fun and nice to watch when it wasn't _real_ , when it was _make-believe_ , but... I told this to Kyra a few days ago, too: it's funny if it's a story. It's not if it's real." She lifted her head to meet her eyes with the demon's once more. "We have been transported to a _very_ dangerous... situation, in my opinion. I don't _know_ that I can _believe_ you. You are a demon. I was raised to believe that demons cannot be trusted. Demons _lie_..." She averted her eyes once more. " _Men_ lie..." she said softly.

" _My dear kitten_ ," Sebastian said, his eyes pleading. " _I do not lie._ "

"But you're a fucking demon," Raven scowled. "You'd say _anything_ to make me believe you. You say you don't lie, but that is _not_ how I was raised to believe. I was raised to believe that demons are evil, cunning creatures who strive to stray humans from the light of God. I was raised to believe that your goal, your _sole_ reason for being is to capture and taint innocent souls. You want to manipulate us into sinning and betraying God. I have always been agnostic; I was open to the idea but not completely sure if God himself was even real. I felt the same way about other supernatural beings, but... if _you_ exist, it stands to reason that _He_ does, also."

Sebastian stared at her silently for several moments, his expression unreadable. "He _does_ exist. He is our Father. Though the rest of what you were taught is not quite true. Kitten, did I lie in your 'story'? If so, that in _itself_ is a lie. I swore to you I would not lie because quite simply, I don't... _ever_ , unless it is commanded of me by my master. I do not _need_ to lie."

She sighed. "Yes, you stated in the story that this is a point you differed from humans on; you do not lie. That said, what reason do I have to trust you?"

Sebastian crossed his legs, leaning into the chair. "You are fated to be my mate. Lies would serve no purpose but to keep us at war with one another. This would mean that our relationship would be fated to be broken; do you think that the augury means for that to happen? Do you think that you were fated to be in a relationship doomed to fail from the start?" He questioned, folding his hands together. "Many demons speculate that those who have been given mates see them as gifts from... the one you now know to be real. I do not believe his intention would be to hurt you. We don't _know_ the reasoning yet, but only He can give the gift of love, though even He cannot tie two hearts together; this, we must strive and work for together. The Fates saw you and decided that you are my match. He must have had them looking for you, but only _we_ can make it real."

Raven remained silent, staring at the demon before her.

"Would you like a glass of sherry, or something stronger? I know this is a profound thing for you to really understand," Sebastian said in all seriousness.

"Yes, please," Raven nodded. "Once we're back at the manor, that is. Also, I would like some time alone, without being bothered. I need some time to myself."

He closed his eyes and nodded. "I understand."

"Also, for future reference, if I tell Kyra I need some time alone, that goes for you, too. I know damned well you heard me," she huffed.

His lips twitched. "Yes, of course. I apologise. Would you like a few minutes to finish your cup of hot chocolate?"

"No, thank you." Raven shook her head. "If you don't mind, I'd like to return to the manor now."

"Of course," he agreed, and they both stood. With a wave of his hand, the entire set-up was gone. "Please excuse me," he smiled, lifting her up in his arms once more. "We will return to the manor now."

"Oka- _ **OHMYGOD!**_ " She screamed, clinging to him once more as he sped off into the distance.

' _If only I could run forever with her in my arms._ '


	13. Chapter Thirteen

_**Chapter Thirteen:**_ _ **  
**_ _Cleaned Meticulously_

* * *

 _Raven took the bundle of clothes straight up to her room_ and unrolled it on her bed.

' _This is not my 'previous' life,_ ' she thought sadly to herself, eyeing her old clothes. ' _This is all that is left of what I was_.'

With a sigh, she walked over to the door adjoining the two girls' rooms and after knocking a few times and getting the go-ahead to come in, swung the door open.

"Kyra, I have the…" She trailed off.

Kyra was playing makeup artist, using Mey-Rin as her model. Both girls were giggling and chatting with each other.

"Hey, Ray!" Kyra giggled as she painted more color onto Mey-Rin's cheeks. "Did you need me for something?"

"Well, yes I do, but I don't want to interrupt this! It looks like you two are having too much fun," Raven chuckled. "I want a turn to do her hair sometime."

Mey-Rin laughed. "This is what I always thought having sisters would be like."

"Is it? I've never really thought about it," Raven mused.

"What? What is wrong with you two?" Kyra exclaimed. "We do too have sisters! The three of us!" She grabbed both Mey-Rin and Raven and hugged them together. The girls giggled.

"Well, Raven, what do you need?" Kyra asked, immediately realizing why Raven was there. "Oh, you got the thing? Let's go speak to Mister Ciel then. Can you excuse us, Mey-Rin, or will you need help getting that off?"

"Oh, no, I can get it off, but I may just leave it on; it looks rather nice. You've learned quickly, Miss Kyra!" Mey-Rin beamed.

"Aw, thank you, Mey-Rin! That means so much coming from you!" Kyra giggled. "Well, we will see you later then." Kyra smiled again, and she and Raven went on their way to see Ciel.

After closing the door and walking a bit away, Kyra turned to Raven with a smirk, curiosity gleaming in her eyes. "How did things go on your scavenger hunt with Sebastian?"

"He did that super speed demon run thing carrying me. It was more frightening than a roller coaster ride," Raven shivered.

"Really? How fun!" Kyra exclaimed.

"Not really," Raven deadpanned. "I ended up with my arms wrapped around him, hiding my face on his shoulder the whole way there and back. It was utterly frightening, and I also had this strange feeling in my chest. I cannot describe what it was, but my heart was beating so fast! The speed he can go at is amazing, though, I will admit that."

"Awwh" Kyra giggled, nudging her friend with her elbow.

"'Awwh,' what?" Raven replied, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "We need to talk later, alone, okay?"

Kyra chuckled quietly. "Sure, I am there for you." Her friend was oblivious, she decided. "Ah, here we are." Kyra knocked quietly on the door to Ciel's study.

"Please enter," a young voice immediately answered, and they did. The Earl rose to meet them. "Welcome back, Miss Raven. Please, have a seat." Ciel gestured to the chairs in front of his desk, and the girls obliged with a nod. "I trust you are ready to tell me what this 'cell phone' Miss Kyra mentioned before is?"

Raven nodded. "We have the device to show you now. Luckily, the battery isn't dead."

Ciel stared at her curiously for a moment before nodding. "Sebastian, come," he ordered, and within seconds there was a knock at the door, and in walked Sebastian.

"You called for me, young master?" he said as he strode into the room, closing the door behind him.

"I think he wants you to be in on the show and tell," Raven said. "Could you close the curtains and dim the light, please?"

Sebastian quickly complied as Raven reached into her pocket and pulled out the phone. She walked to the furthest portion of the room from Ciel and motioned for Kyra to come to her. She did, and Raven then turned the flashlight app on and handed it to Kyra, who held the phone exactly how she did that fateful night and turned the light on.

"You see how it gives the appearance from a distance as if it is coming from her hand?" She said, watching Ciel's expression as he gasped. "I heard the police officer's whistle, then saw him and quickly turned it off like this," and she reached over to the phone and turned the app off.

"How fascinating! And this device is actually a telephone?" Ciel wondered, his eyes wide. Raven offered it to Ciel and he accepted it, peering at it closely.

"Yes, sir, but it is not from your... time?" Raven hesitantly said, ending the sentence as though it was a question and looking to Sebastian for help in explaining it.

"They are from another realm of reality; their timeline is far more advanced than ours. They are also aware that they cannot speak of these things in front of anyone other than those in this room," Sebastian explained. "Of course, if anyone were to find this device, they would think it is witchcraft."

"You can use this like a torch, and ring people up with this tiny thing?" Ciel asked again.

"Yes, sir, and you can keep track of your appointments, listen to music, send emails, texts, pay your bills and surf the web with it also," Kyra proudly blurted out. Raven elbowed Kyra in the ribs again as Ciel rose an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Please don't ask us to explain all that; it is very complicated," Raven asked imploringly.

"All with this tiny thing. Whoever would have thought it possible?" Ciel said very quietly. "Well, now I do know you are not witches and that the charges are unfounded, thank you." He said as he handed the phone to Sebastian. "Just make sure that this is not found by anyone."

"But of course," Sebastian said as he nodded in agreement. "Ladies, shall we?" Sebastian gestured at the door signaling it was time to leave Ciel be.

"Okay. Let's go back to your room to talk, then. Is that alright with you, Raven?" Kyra asked. Raven merely nodded.

"Oh! In that case, I will have that refreshment we discussed earlier brought right up to you, my lady." Sebastian excused himself, turned and walked away.

"So you were really comfortable with him?" Kyra laughed opening the door to Raven's room, holding it open as Raven walked through it.

"Yes, and it really isn't a good thing like you seem to think, Kyra," Raven said as she stopped dead only one step into the room. "That man is _such_ a smart-aleck," she grumbled quietly as she rushed over and stared at the same exact wingback chairs sitting near the window, with the same small table and a matching chaise lounge a little off to the side, by the other end of the windows. She now had a beautiful sitting area and could comfortably have tea or whatever she wanted in her room. Raven went to lay on the chaise lounge and noticed her book had been placed there, and just inside the front cover was a beautiful bookmark.

"Wow, having a demon mate apparently has perks!" Kyra laughed. "This whole little setup is just so you! Like something I would expect you to design." Kyra sat down in one of the wingbacks. "Ohhhh m'god. I am moving into your room." She groaned. "I could _so_ get used to this, it is so comfy."

"That's the whole problem. You just hit it right on the head, my friend," Raven somberly replied. "I also feel that way. I just _can't_ , though. I _can't_ allow myself to get _used_ to this, to him actually _listening_ , actually _paying attention to me_. He notices even the _smallest_ things I do and _remembers_." Raven stood and motioned wildly to the new furniture. "Like _this_! Even the smallest things, like _this_ ," she huffed as she pulled out the bookmark.

"Oh, that is _really_ pretty," Kyra exclaimed in awe as she walked over to Raven and sat next to her, taking the bookmark out of her hand to look at it. It was a beautiful black and russet cat, stitched onto a pale green background, almost tapestry style. "Raven, this is the cat we rescued." She looked over at her friend and put her arms around her. Raven was sitting there, silently crying. "This is _good_ though, not bad," Kyra assured her. "Girl, this is the first time _any_ guy has _put you first_ , making you the most _important_ thing in his life. How is that bad? I would think you would be happy. _Ohhh, don't, shhh.._ " Kyra almost cooed to her, gently wiping away her tears.

"I know, I know! But it is bad because _he is still a demon_!" Raven sobbed, leaning on her friend.

"Oh, I haven't forgotten that fact at all! I just don't see him being demonic _to you_. Isn't that what matters?"

Raven, feeling better after releasing the tears, started gaining back her control. "He said what I learned about demons in church is only partially true. He said he only lies when ordered to by Ciel. He says I don't ever have to fear him. But... he is a _demon_ , so how can I not... How can I not think he is lying? I cannot ever forget that fact. That and the fact that he is also a man. I don't trust men anymore. I don't want to be like this, but how else can I be at this point? Believe me, though," she said as she drew her fingers over the bookmark, "I realise I have never been treated this well, nor this thoughtfully. _That_ is what is making this so damned _hard_ , even though it hasn't even been a full day yet." She looked up at Kyra and blurted out, "Oh, by the way, God is real."

"Oh really, and how do you know that?" Kyra questioned, an eyebrow risen.

"Sebastian told me so."

" _Oh, I see_! You will believe him on _that_ , but because he is a demon you keep thinking he is lying." Kyra burst out laughed.

"He said we are fated, and that the demons believe the mates were gifts from God because only he can give love. But it will take the two of us working at it to make the relationship successful. And if demons did lie like I was taught, the relationships would be doomed from the start. If that were so, God wouldn't bother with it," Raven replied with a shrug. "And anyway, if God weren't real, why would a demon say he is? That just doesn't make sense to me. Although..." She hummed, an idea sparking in her mind. "No, nevermind," she shook her head. If she kept overthinking things, nothing would change.

"Hmm... What he said is rather logical, it does make sense." Kyra mused aloud.

There was a light knock at the door. "Come in," Raven called.

Mey-Rin entered the room and paused, staring at the new furniture. ' _When did we get that furniture by the window? I really don't remember seeing that before._ ' She shook it off and smiled. "I've brought you a drink, m'ladies. It is a fine raspberry liqueur." She placed a tray with two glasses and a very small wine decanter on the table and asked if they would like her to pour.

"Oh no, we can handle that, thank you Mey-Rin," Raven said. Raven stood in front of Mey-Rin and grabbed her hands. "I want to apologize for yelling when you came to call me down for tea earlier. I was wrong. I just wanted to be left alone for a while and was not succeeding at it. I am so very sorry; I didn't mean to take it out on you."

"Oh, my Lady! Miss Raven, consider it forgotten already," Mey-Rin bowed. "You needn't apologise to a mere servant such as myself!"

"Yes, I do," Raven replied with a smile. "Because it is the right thing to do. You are a person too and deserve to be treated with respect. I care not for station and stature."

Mey-Rin stuttered for a moment before settling on a shy smile as she bowed once more. "I best be off to my duties though, but thank you." She quietly let herself out. ' _What a kind one she is, saying such things to a servant_.'

"What was that about?" Kyra asked, her curiosity peaked.

"I screamed 'what do you want' when she came to the door. I thought it was Sebastian again. I literally had maybe fifteen minutes alone earlier. It's over, though," Raven said as she waved her hand lightly.

"Oh, your alone time? Sorry! Try again after the seamstress is done. I will guard your door!" Kyra said, poised and trying to look fierce.

"I will try," she said wistfully. She poured a tiny bit of the contents from the decanter into one glass and tasted it. "Mmmmm! This is delicious! Here, you _have_ to taste this!" as she shoved her glass into Kyra's hand and looked at her expectantly.

Kyra took a small sip. "Oh, that _is_ good, and it is _alcohol_? _You_ asked for this?" she asked, surprised.

"Yes. Sebastian insinuated it would calm my nerves after our talk. I kind of feel entitled to it, too," Raven replied smugly as she filled both glasses and handed one off to Kyra.

"Cheers," they said while clanking the glasses together.

"Okay, I'm in," Kyra said, "But just remember: this is liqueur, not wine - it is much stronger." Kyra took another sip of the drink and paused, thoughtfully. "She said this is raspberry, right?" Raven nodded. "It reminds me of Chambord. My mother _loves_ this stuff; she saves it for special occasions and holidays. I think this is better, though."

"Oh, it is, and right now I don't care about how strong it is," Raven laughed. "Do you think he may be right? I mean, he outright _said_ that much of what I was taught was not true, but doesn't there have to be a _reason_ to fear them? Or would it be out of fear of what you don't understand? If that _is_ it, it is _wrong_. But... demons are _cruel_. They do things that are really bad, _don't they_?"

"Raven," Kyra sighed, running a hand through her short hair. "Right now, I am only concerned if anyone is cruel to _us_ , and he _hasn't been_. He has been _good_ to us, as far as I can see. The trust thing? _That_ is between _you_ and _him_. I do remember you saying that he doesn't lie when we were back home. You seemed to admire that," Kyra responded.

"Yeah, but he wasn't _real_ then. That is the kicker, isn't it? None of this is supposed to be real," Raven sighed. "But now it _is_ real, and _we_ are _living_ it, and we have to be _careful_. I don't want to be on the wrong side of a demon. The things he does in the manga - now they are going to be _real_ and they are _horrible_."

"Once again, _but they won't be done to you_. You are _safe_ ," Kyra pressed, trying to reassure her friend.

"But what if we get into a fight - what _then_? He will get angry and the old fuchsia eyes and pointy teeth come out, and..." Raven shuddered, remembering what she saw when he put his mark on her.

"I don't think he would ever lose control and go all demony like that, not with you. You are too important to him. At least, that is how I feel," Kyra said. ' _I better watch it, and not go too far in this guys defense. She has to make up her own mind, and she needs someone on_ her _side._ ' "In the end, Raven, how things go is all up to _you_. _You_ get to decide, you also have _time_ to _think about it_ and just see how it goes. Right now, I think you are mixing up baggage you already have with what is happening here. That is normal, but again you have to sort that out, you have to be the one that decides. And me? I am just here to make sure you are _okay_ , and that no one hurts you again. Even that 'fucking demon'; I would at least _try_ to knock out those pointy teeth. And by the way?" She grinned. "Fuchsia eyes? I would like to see those; they sound _gorgeous_. Of course, I only want to see them in the most non-violent of ways. Safety first!"

Both girls giggled and continued to enjoy their beverage.

"We should keep this stuff up here," Kyra said. "It does help with the nerves. It is nice to just relax for a bit, isn't it?

"Yes, it is. Oh, I am sure we can keep it up here. I don't think anyone would mind," Raven said, her mind still far away.

"Raven, you have to learn to turn that brain off sometimes," Kyra scolded. "You should be relaxing and I can tell you still have that mind going a hundred miles an hour."

Raven waved her hand dismissively. "I need my alone time. I at least need an afternoon. You know how I get."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Sebastian quietly prepared lunch as he listened to Raven. ' _How can I make her accept me when she has been taught to fear me?_ ' He looked up at the ceiling and smiled ever so slightly. ' _It seems I have somewhat of an advocate. What a strange use of the word baggage…_ '

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Mey-Rin knocked on Raven's door.

"Come in!" Raven called, and Mey-Rin opened the door with a smile.

"My ladies, it is time to prepare for lunch. Please remember the tailor will be here for you directly after lunch, yes she will."

"Oh, yes! We haven't forgotten," Kyra exclaimed, excited at the prospect of new clothes.

Raven stood. "Well, am I presentable or did I muss up my hair?"

Mey-Rin glanced over at her and said, "You look fine, Miss Raven. Do you need me for anything?"

"No, we should be fine. Should we come directly down or wait a few minutes?" Kyra asked.

"I believe you can wait a bit, Master Ciel hasn't started down as yet," Mey-Rin replied as she closed the door.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

"For lunch today, we have roasted chicken, served with fondant potatoes and long beans. For dessert, a cherry parfait. We will begin with a savory chicken soup," Sebastian stated with a polite smile.

"Well, that sounds delicious, doesn't it, Raven?" Kyra giggled, then whispered, "I didn't hear anything weird in there for a change."

"Yes, it does," Raven replied quietly. "The soup smells good." As she tasted it, she couldn't help but think of how much better this was than the canned chicken noodle soup from back home.

"Tonight, I will be hosting a business associate and his wife for dinner. As we are signing a contract to work together, it will be a proper celebratory feast," Ciel announced. "I expect everyone will be on their best behaviour," He finished, staring at Kyra.

"Yes, Master Ciel, I understand," Kyra said quietly. "Well, that wasn't the slightest bit embarrassing, was it?" she whispered to Raven.

Raven sarcastically whispered back, "Oh, no. That wasn't meant for you, was it?"

Sebastian soon brought out the main course.

Raven picked up her fork and knife to cut into the chicken... and froze. She stared at the cutlery in her hand and her hands began to shake.

They were having guests for dinner.

 _Guests..._

Raven suddenly recalled what they occasionally _did_ to their guests. More specifically, what _Sebastian_ did.

A shiver ran through Raven as she stared at the fork and knife in her hand, recalling what Sebastian oh-so-often _used them for_.

"Raven are you alright? You're shaking and look so pale!" Kyra said quietly. "Oh, no! Are you sick?"

Raven held a hand over her mouth, her body convulsing. ' _I feel like I'm going to be sick. Oh, my God, I've eaten with these things..._ '

Sebastian was immediately beside Raven, worry creasing his brow. "My lady, what is the matter? Do you require any assistance? Are you ill? I will escort you back to your room if you wish." ' _What is wrong now? How can she be sick now? She was fully recovered from her injuries, and I am absolutely certain the ritual was done correctly. Why are humans so frail?_ '

"Yes, I think I will return to my room, thank you," Raven said meekly as she trembled. ' _How am I to live like this?_ '

She rose to go to her room with Sebastian right behind her. Kyra remained seated, wondering if she should follow.

"My lady, may I have a word?" Sebastian asked as they began toward her room.

"Yes, of course you may," Raven replied.

"What is wrong? I sense no illness in you, therefore I do not know what to do." Sebastian said, bluntly.

"Oh, I didn't want to bring it up, but since you did," she retorted, "I had just remembered what you had done with that cutlery, from the manga. It serves as your weapon quite well when needed. I found it difficult to try to eat with silverware that _has been used to kill people._ "

"I see… You do know that the entire room, including the cutlery, has been cleaned meticulously?" He offered, hoping this would alleviate her senses.

Raven promptly facepalmed. "Of course I know that… It's just… You just don't understand," Raven stammered as she turned to continue to her room.

"My kitten, please wait." Sebastian gently took hold of her arm. "Please, I shall replace the cutlery with new immediately. You must eat to keep up your strength."

She suppressed an eye-roll. " _Thank you_ , Sebastian. That may help, but I don't think I am going to eat right now."

Frustrated, Sebastian raised his hand to run it through his hair, trying to think of what he could do to make this better for her when he noticed Raven visibly flinch and raise her arms as if to protect herself.

 ** _As if he was going to strike her._**

 _ **She was cowering...**_

 _ **... From him.**_

To say that he was angry would be an understatement. Pure, unbridled fury swelled inside of him, and his eyes burned a hellish fuschia as his teeth began to sharpen. His jaw clenched as he forced himself to regain control of his appearance. It would only serve to frighten her further if he outright allowed himself to regain his true form - this much was obvious as she stared at him with fear overflowing from her eyes.

" _I WILL MAKE YOU MINE! I WILL MAKE YOU MINE!_ " She cried out, _visibly_ shaken and afraid... _**of him.**_

Sebastian slowly lowered himself to one knee, bowing his head to her. He gently took Raven's hand in his own. "I will not accept that decision this day. If you tell me this when you are calm and are not in fear of me, I will accept it, but not like this." He bowed his head deeper and repeated words he had spoken the previous night. " _You have nothing to fear from me._ I will protect you. _I will never harm you._ " There was a pregnant pause before he added, " _ **Nor will anyone else, ever again. This I swear to you."**_

Raven's eyes welled with tears as she tore her hand from his, turned and ran away.

Sebastian slowly stood up as he watched her leave. "Miss Kyra, I believe you should go to her… However, you and I must continue the discussion we were having last night very soon. I believe action is required."

Kyra, who had arrived just outside the hall door just as Sebastian rose from his kneeling position and Raven fled, nodded her head in agreement with wide eyes and ran after her friend.

Sebastian watched as both girls ran out of sight, still trying to regain his self-control. He felt an anger he had never felt before, and it both befuddled him and drove him to his next thought: ' _I can put off her revenge no longer._ '


	14. Chapter Fourteen

_**Chapter Fourteen:**_ _ **  
**_ _Yes, My Lady_

* * *

" _I don't know what's_ _ **wrong**_ _with me. I'm just_ such a _weakling_ ; I'm getting upset about _everything_ and causing so much drama!" Raven wiped her eyes, sniffing.

"Raven, _**YOU ARE NOT WEAK!**_ I don't know how you can _say that_!" Kyra retorted, her arms folded across her chest. "I know the bad situations you have been in. All those foster homes with the bullies, the pervs…" She shook her head, her jaw clenched. "I just _know_ I wouldn't have survived like you have. I think it is probably just this last time - the thing with Tyson. You never were able to process it, to talk it out, and to heal from it because we ended up _here_ , _**and**_ I _know_ you need your alone time, so after we are done with the tailor or whatever she is - and she should be here soon - I will sit outside the door of wherever you want to be like a pitbull. I won't let anyone in. They will have to kill me. And I am not afraid of Sebastian, I can keep him out too," Kyra added, hoping for at least a smile from her friend.

Raven stopped pacing, processing what her friend had just said.

She sighed.

"I'm just overreacting to _everything_ right now. I've gone from being the watcher to the one _being watched_ with the way I'm behaving."

"It happens, Raven," Kyra replied, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "We'll get through this." Raven nodded with a smile.

The girls were quiet for a few moments before Kyra opened her mouth.

"Anyway, what happened back there?"

"You were wrong," Raven slowly drawled.

"Huh?" Kyra blinked several times. "About what?"

"You said you didn't think he'd go all demony with me but he just did," Raven stated. "His eyes were all catty and fuchsia."

"Now, not only are they fuchsia, but they're _catty_? Damn, I need to see that!" Kyra chuckled.

Raven groaned. "It's _scary_ , not _cool_!"

"Yeah, yeah," Kyra grinned, then became somber. "What happened, anyway? What were you talking about, and why did you get sick?"

Raven remained silent for several long moments. "The silverware."

Kyra stared blankly at her unmoving friend. "The... silverware? I thought it was quite _lovely_ , not vomit-inducing."

Raven let out an amused snort. "Not how it _looks_ , but what it was _used for_ in the past or the future. Probably both."

"What was it-" Kyra began, confused, but realisation and horror quickly dawned on her face. " _Ohhhh_. Oh, God...! But I already ate off of that!"

Raven quickly turned and beamed sarcastically at her friend. "Don't worry, Sebastian said it was _cleaned meticulously_!"

"THAT DOESN'T MATTER!" Kyra nearly screamed.

"EXACTLY!" Raven exclaimed. "Somebody understands!"

Kyra's face twisted in disgust, but then turned to one of confusion. "Wait, he didn't get all demony just because you criticised his use of silverware, did he?"

"Oh, no, no, no." Raven shook her head. "And, by the way, not that it really matters for the past, but we're going to have new silverware."

"Oh, okay," Kyra nodded, satisfied with that. "He'd better not use it for the unintended purposes _and then wash it and put it back on the table_ , though."

Raven nodded in agreement. "We'll have to... _talk_ to him about that."

"Okay, but," Kyra huffed, "if he wasn't demony about _that_ , _what caused the demony_?"

"Oh, about that... um..." Raven averted her gaze, looking down at her hands.

The blonde's eyes narrowed. " _Raven. Spill._ "

"Well..." Raven muttered, wringing her hands together. "... It... wasn't one of my finer moments."

"What did you do?" Her friend sighed, her hands on her hips.

The shorter girl let out a heavy sigh. "We were talking about the stupid cutlery and he said he'd replace it and wanted me to still eat something but my appetite was, quite understandably, lost so I told him no. Then... well..."

Kyra groaned as her friend fell silent again. "So he went all catty fuchsia eyed because you didn't like the silverware and wouldn't eat? Yeah, sure. Can I hear the rest of the story, now? The important part?"

Raven's face was flushed as she fiddled with the skirt of her dress. " _I really thought he was going to hit me!_ I jumped like a frightened child away from him, and all he apparently was doing was _running his hand through his hair_."

"But he was on his knee- _ohhh,_ that was _before_ then," Kyra realised. "I understand _exactly_ what happened now. And _no_ , I was _not wrong_! He did _not_ go all demony with you _at all!_ "

"But he called all _fuchsia eyed_ and his _teeth_ even got long! I was the only one there!" Raven retorted.

Kyra outright snorted. "For a girl that is so _smart_ , you are so _stupid_ sometimes." Raven's eyes widened in surprise and confusion as Kyra stalked up to her and lifted her chin up to look her in the eyes. "Looks like I have to school you a bit. Class is now in session."

Raven looked up at her with dread. ' _Oh, God. What did I do now?_ '

" _Raven_ ," Kyra stated, " _just because he was like that in your presence doesn't mean his anger was directed at you._ "

"Well, then who was he _mad_ at? No one else was there!"

"He was mad at those who _caused_ you to react like that," Kyra replied, her eyes narrowed. "He's not _stupid_. He obviously knows _why_ you reacted like that. It's pretty clear no matter _who_ sees. Why would a woman flinch away from a man who calmly raised his hand? _Because she has been physically abused in the past_. It's simple body language."

Raven silently pulled her head from Kyra's hand and looked away once more.

They both stayed in silence for several moments before Raven broke it.

" _Awh, shit,_ " she cursed, holding her head in her hands. "You're right."

"What?" Kyra blinked. ' _She's acting like it's a terrible thing that I'm right?_ '

"Oh, damn it!" Raven groaned, throwing herself on the bed and pulling a pillow over her head.

" _What?!_ What is it?" Kyra asked, plopping on the bed next to her.

A muffled, barely discernable voice emanated from under the pillow whined, "Now I have to apologize to a fucking demon. Fuck my life. I am truly already in hell." Raven kicked her feet like a toddler having a temper tantrum.

Kyra smiled. ' _Now that's the Raven I know and love. She is going to be alright._ '

The two laid together in silence for several minutes. It wasn't long before there was a knock on the door and Mey-Rin squeaked something as the door opened. The girls turned to look, bewildered, as another woman strode in, a stoic Sebastian following close by.

"Hello, girls!" The woman smiled, striking an odd pose. "I have come to make you girls some _fabulous_ fashion. My name is Nina Hopkins, from the prestigious Hopkins tailor shop!" Mey-Rin hovered at the door for a moment before excusing herself and leaving.

Raven clapped her hands together and let out a soft squeal of delight. ' _The woman who speaks our language! YES! SHORTS!_ '

Sebastian eyed her for a moment. Why was she so excited to see this insufferable, obnoxious woman? "Yes, very well then. Miss Nina, these two young ladies require an entirely new wardrobe. By this, I mean _everything_ that a young lady would need, including attire for the upcoming All Hallows Eve," he said, peering at a small book he held in his hand before snapping his gaze up her. "Please see to it that it is _proper_ clothes befitting of their station."

She grinned at the two ladies, excitement shining in her eyes. "Leave it to me!" she declared as she fiddled and dramatically slid off her skirt, revealing rather short shorts and her garter belt attached to stockings and high boots. "I will tailor the best dresses ever, inspired by the very latest fashion trends!"

Sebastian stared blankly at her, unamused and unimpressed as Kyra squealed in excitement and Raven suppressed her smile.

" _I want that!_ " Kyra squealed, clasping her hands together. "Would it be possible that I could have _all_ of my dresses made like yours?!"

Sebastian inwardly sighed, rolling his eyes up to the ceiling. He supposed it was to be expected. Kyra, quite obviously, did not care about what was proper and improper. At least Raven wasn't like that, he mused as he excused himself and began shutting the door behind him.

"Wait, wait! We'd need some longer pants - winter is coming!" Raven interrupted, standing up. "Down to at least here!" She pointed down to just above her ankle. "We can't have the pants show while we're wearing a skirt, of course."

The door clicked shut a little bit harder than necessary.

Well, at least Raven was trying to keep up appearances.

Nina snickered. "It seems like Mr. Stiff doesn't like that."

Both of the girls shrugged. "That's _his_ problem," they said in unison.

Just outside the door, Mr. Stiff exhaled quickly, his teeth grit as an eyebrow twitched.

All three girls burst into a giggle fit.

"I can tell already that I love you two," Ninja giggled. "Long pants is an amazing idea! If done right, you can wear them well in winter and still keep the mobility and freedom of movement of summer! I've got it, got it, got iiiiit!" She bellowed. " _This_ will be _fabulous_! The universe has provided me with a new muse! Long pants so that you can move freely in the winter, and a skirt to go over it. Something that will keep you nice and warm, but won't be uncomfortable to be in! So many outfits come to mind! I need my pen and paper! This will shake the world of fashion to its _core_!"

Nina blinked when Raven silently offered her her pen and paper with a small smile. She took it with a grin and set to work making sketches. She only took a few minutes before she set down the pencil. "Time to take your measurements! Strip!" She commanded.

The girls exchanged glances and obeyed, beginning to strip themselves of their garments, Nina helping where needed. An idea popped into Raven's head as she pulled off her many petticoats.

"Nina, could you make me night clothes for the winter? I do want long night shirts but also would like something… different. I would like a long shirt that buttons up the front, but comes to about the knee, with matching long loose fitting trousers, made out of thick, very soft flannel," Raven suggested.

Nina pondered on her suggestion. "Hm... I like that idea!" She decided with a smile. "I knew I liked you!" She cooed, embracing Raven with a giggle.

Kyra laughed as she took off the last regular petticoat, leaving her in her corset and under petticoat. "I got ready first! I get measured first!"

Nina laughed, releasing her captive. "Well, let's get you out of that corset, then. It's in the way."

"Isn't it always?" Kyra replied with an eyebrow raised. Nina burst out laughing.

"It is! Corsets are so restrictive!" she agreed, unlacing Kyra's.

"And just plain unnatural," Raven added, sitting down on the bed with her under petticoat and corset on.

Nina glanced between them with a smile. " _Here_ is my hope for the future: sensible females!"

Both girls couldn't help but laugh at the irony.

* * *

 **OoO**

* * *

"Good afternoon, Miss Kyra. May I please see Lady Raven?" Mey-Rin asked, pausing outside the door with her cart.

"Yes, but not for too long. She's trying to have a little bit of alone time," Kyra replied, crossing her legs as she sat on the chair she had dragged out to the hall from the library. She glanced again at the book she had taken to read, knowing she wasn't going to read much of it. Being Raven's pit bull had proven to be quite boring, and she really didn't like reading too much. ' _Is it wrong to want to go outside so badly after making this promise?_ '

"Good afternoon, Miss Raven. I shan't be here long," Mey-Rin said as she set the tray with tea and biscuits for two on the small table by the window. "The entire staff, as well as the young master have been informed of the new manor rule to guard your privacy. There won't be any interruptions other than myself to deliver your teas or meals." Mey-Rin took a blue ribbon out of her pocket and offered it to Raven. "Mister Sebastian asked that I give you this. If you wish to be left alone, simply wrap this around the door knob. No one will be allowed to enter without your permission except in the case of emergency. I hope this meets with your approval."

Raven took the ribbon with wide eyes. "Really? Really, truly?"

"Yes, m'lady," Mey-Rin bowed with a smile.

Raven stared at the ribbon, her eyes still wide. "Wow... What a powerful ribbon."

Mey-Rin giggled. "Would you like to take your tea with Miss Kyra or alone, m'lady?"

"Together, Mey-Rin. Please tell Kyra to stop being ridiculous and to come inside," Raven requested as she stretched out on the chaise lounge. "I told her not to actually play guard dog but she insisted."

"Of course, m'lady," she giggled once more. "Though she is playing the part quite well, yes she is!"

* * *

 **OoO**

* * *

Raven had decided that she would indeed take dinner in her room, and Kyra joined her.

"My ladies, tonight you have roast pork with baked apples, long beans, creamed corn, and baked mashed potatoes with parmesan coating. For dessert, you shall be served chocolate profiteroles," Mey-Rin announced, setting the first course on the table before them.

Raven had her dinner with a glass of the raspberry liqueur that Sebastian had so kindly supplied for her.

When Kyra saw, she raised an eyebrow. " _M'lady,_ do you really think you should be imbibing so much of the liqueur? You had a glass after tea as well."

"What?" Raven furrowed her eyebrows at her friend in confusion.

" _The booze._ Don'tcha think you should lay off a bit on _the booze_? Remember, I told you that it's a _lot_ stronger than wine. Some liqueurs are as strong as whiskey or bourbon."

"I'm only having a little, Kyra," Raven replied with a smile. "It's just to relax me."

Kyra nodded and they continued with their dinner.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Raven sighed contentedly, leaning back in her chair. After dinner, Kyra had left the ribbon on the door for Raven and wandered off, leaving her alone to relax. ' _The liqueur is_ so _good_ ,' she silently mused, turning a page in the book. ' _It tastes like candy and it really is helping me relax._ '

 _The Study in Scarlet_. She was already nearly done with the book; it was rather short. If she hadn't been so lost in thought, she would already have finished reading it before even dinner.

She glanced again at the liqueur, tempted to have another glass, and Kyra's voice resounded in her head.

" _Remember, it's a_ lot _stronger than wine. You'll regret it in the morning,_ " she had huffed as she left the room.

' _I will wait at least one more chapter before even thinking about another glass,_ ' she sighed to herself.

Raven gazed out the window, frowning as she pondered recent events. After thinking about Kyra's latest assessment of her behaviour, Raven determined that she was right regarding not coming to terms with the issues with Tyson, and she was probably taking her anger out on Sebastian.

' _Eh, he can handle it since he is a fucking demon anyway,_ ' she pouted.

No sooner was that thought completed did she feel guilt creeping into her.

Sebastian had shown her nothing but kindness and patience so far, and she _continued_ acting like this.

But he was a demon.

But he had been so kind and patient with her!

... But he was a demon.

' _You know your life is fucked up when one of the only people who has treated you so kindly is a_ _ **demon**_ _._ ' Raven shook her head slowly and returned to her reading.

A few chapters later, she decided to pour herself the promised glass of liqueur.

As she tilted the decanter to pour a small glass like Mey-Rin had, she squeaked as it tilted further than expected. ' _Oops! Didn't mean to put so much in the glass,_ ' she thought, blushing slightly as she set the decanter back down. The glass was nearly a quarter full, whereas Mey-Rin had it barely covering the bottom. She shook her head, sighing. ' _Can't be that bad. I'll just drink it really slowly._ '

As she continued reading, she couldn't help but think about what had happened with Tyson that night.

' _The more I think about it, the more I know I couldn't have changed a thing. I wasn't in control - there was no way to control that psycho._ ' She sighed, taking a sip of her drink. ' _If I couldn't control him, how am I to control Sebastian? By making him mine, does that give me control in his mind?_ ' She paused a moment, sipping her drink once more. ' _I am going to have to have another talk with him.'_

Several minutes later found Raven reaching for the glass once more, only to find it empty.

"Oops," she whispered, her eyes wide. ' _I drank that a lot faster than I intended._ ' After thinking for a few moments, she raised an eyebrow skeptically. ' _Hm... I don't know what Kyra was talking about; this doesn't seem all that strong. Maybe it is stronger in our time than it is here?_ '

She poured another glass and took another sip.

She set aside _The Study in Scarlet_ and sighed. ' _Why is all this shit always happening to_ me _? Can't something_ good _happen for once, other than Kyra?_ '

Tyson wasn't the first guy she'd wanted to beat the shit out of before, but _damn it_ , why did she have to be so small? She often wished she was taller and stronger - more athletic, like Kyra. While it was true that a little girl could pack a punch, she had never had the opportunity to take classes or anything like Kyra did.

She took a big gulp of her liqueur.

Raven sighed, moping about for several minutes before she glanced around the room. Her eyes resting on another book across the room.

That God-be-damned book.

Raven took yet another large gulp from her glass and slammed it on the table before stalking over to it. She huffed, opening it and leafing through the pages.

The first page with the stupid foreign language and instructions that had gotten them there to begin with.

The second page with the location and date.

The third page with the two locations.

The fourth page with the cat picture and location.

The fifth page with Sebastian's symbol and that stupid confusing verses.

It never came out and just _said_ what it _meant_ and what _needed to be known_. It just _alluded_ to things! Books were supposed to give you information and you were supposed to _understand what it's saying_.

This thing?

It _never made sense_.

She glowered at the book, turning the page again.

Oh. There was another entry - a rather long one.

 _~ A young girl once walked a lonely road.  
_ _Where the road led, she did not know.  
_ _All she knew was that she was alone._

 _With flowers in hand, she walked.  
_ _She knew not why she walked,  
_ _Only that she did._

 _Someone was waiting for her  
_ _At the end of this road._

 _She walked alone for years before  
_ _She met another girl, just like her.  
_ _A girl who walked a lonely road._

 _This girl held a flute in hand._

 _The two young ladies became fast friends  
_ _And they walked together forever after  
_ _On this not-so-lonely lonely road._

 _Many times, a monster appeared  
_ _And tried to steal the young girl's flowers  
_ _And she ran away with her friend._

 _The girls would continue on their path  
_ _Until they found the reason they  
_ _Walked on this dangerous, lonely road. ~_

What in the bloody Hell was that supposed to mean?

Why was this entry so much longer than the other ones?

Why was Kyra in the book now?

With a huff, she placed a finger in the book to save the page and hefted it up. Turning, she attempted to make a beeline to Kyra's room, but she stumbled sideways a bit. The book fell out of her arms as she grasped the dresser to steady herself.

"Whoa!" She breathed, blinking several times. After a few moments, she picked up the _damned book_ and walked out of the nearest door. After glancing around, she realised she was in a hallway. " _Damnit!_ " she nearly hissed. She swayed a bit, glancing around. She huffed. Well, since she was already in the hallway, why not just find Sebastian and have the talk with him _now_? Kyra was probably sleeping, and _demons_ don't _need_ to sleep.

She scowled and nodded to herself. ' _I'm going to find that damned demon and he's going to explain that whole 'be mine or make me yours' thing_ _ **right now**_ _, and I want real answers, not any of this stupid vague shit!_ '

With that, she turned on her heel and stalked forward... straight into a wall.

"Damn it, who put that there?!"

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Sebastian tilted his head in confusion as he listened to the various growls and profanities spilling out of Raven's mouth upstairs. What in the world was she doing at this time of night, and why was she behaving like that?

What could have her so upset? She seemed to be getting angrier by the second.

" _Where IS that God damned demon, anyway?! And who NEEDS a house this big?! It's_ _ **totally unnesheshary,**_ " he heard her huff.

' _Oh, my,_ ' he mused, a light chuckle escaping his lips. ' _She sounds a bit... inebriated. How cute._ ' He turned to go up the stairs she was nearing. ' _Irregardless, she seems to be looking for me. I must see what she wants._ '

He hadn't reached halfway up the stairs when she turned the corner, her eyes snapping to his immediately. He smiled at her, his head tilting to the side. "Ah, my kitten. Is there anything I ca-!"

Sebastian was rather rudely interrupted by a large book soaring through the air and crashing into his face. His smile twitched and he caught it as it ricocheted off of his face.

"YOU!" Raven bellowed, jabbing a finger in his general direction. "YOU'RE JUST LIKE THAT BOOK! ALWAYS SPEAKING IN RIDDLES AND STUPID SHIT THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, NEVER SAYING WHAT YOU MEAN!"

"I beg your pardon?" Sebastian blinked.

"DON'T YOU 'I beg your pardon?' ME! YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!" She hollered, shaking a fist at him. "DO YOU _KNOW_ HOW _FRUSTRATING_ THIS IS?!" Raven began taking a step down the stairs and squeaked as she missed a step and began to fall.

In a flash, Sebastian gently caught and steadied her, the book held under an arm. "Honestly, my lady," he mused, offering her her book back after she had steadied herself. She slowly took it back, her head lowered. "I have no ide-"

His expression froze on his face when the book was once more returned to him in the form of being rather rudely slammed against his face.

Again.

"YOU'RE ALL THE SAME!" She screamed, readying herself for another assault. "DON'T TOUCH ME!"

With a loud _thwack_ , the book was battered against his face again, this time catching him on the chin. Sebastian stared at her silently as a trickle of blood ran down his chin.

She stared at him with wide panicked and angry eyes, her arms poised to strike again. When she did, he gently caught the book, taking it from her hands and holding it out of reach when she grabbed at it. Now unarmed, her hand balled into a fist and she punched him as hard as she could muster straight on his jaw.

"IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN!"

Her hands smacked mercilessly against his face and chest. "NEVER! EVER!"

His eyes scanned her small figure. Rage and fear were pouring out of her; any semblance of self-control was lost in this moment.

A rather hard (for a human) slap struck his face, and he allowed his head to snap to the side.

"THIS IS FOR PUTTING YOUR HANDS UP MY SKIRT WHEN I WAS NINE!"

Sebastian's head tilted down, his face devoid of emotion. "Yes, my lady."

"THIS IS FOR MAKING ME TOUCH YOU WHEN I WAS ELEVEN!"

"Yes, my lady."

"THIS IS FOR BEATING ME FOR THINGS THAT _YOUR SON DID!_ " She screamed, her hands beating against his chest.

"Yes, my lady."

Tears streamed down her face as she struggled to keep her breath. "THIS IS FOR TAKING ME AWAY FROM THE ONLY REAL HOME I HAD!"

"Yes, my lady."

"THIS IS FOR- _THIS IS FOR HOLDING ME DOWN SO YOU COULD CHECK OUT MY BOOBS!_ "

"Yes, my lady."

"THIS IS FOR-!" She cried out. "This- THIS IS FOR... _THIS IS FOR RAPING AMY AND THOSE OTHER FOSTER GIRLS! AND THIS IS FOR TRYING TO RAPE_ _ **ME!**_ "

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Kyra yawned, rubbing her eyes. What in the world had just woken her up? It sounded like someone yelling.

Wait.

 _Waaaait!_

That was RAVEN!

With that thought, Kyra jumped up. _Raven_ was _screaming_?!

"WHAT THE _FUCK_?!" Kyra shouted, barging out of her room and into the hallway. After pausing for a moment, Kyra followed the shouts to the hallway, right near the stairs. She stopped there, peeking around the corner.

Sebastian was there on the stairs... with Raven alternately screaming and whimpering while beating on Sebastian face and chest. Kyra froze in place. She didn't want to intrude, but she needed to know her friend was okay.

"THIS IS FOR PUTTING YOUR HANDS UP MY SKIRT WHEN I WAS NINE!" Raven screamed, slapping him across the face.

Kyra's eyes widened. _What?!_

"Yes, my lady," Sebastian replied, his head tilting down.

"THIS IS FOR MAKING ME TOUCH YOU WHEN I WAS ELEVEN!" She screamed, slapping him again.

" _... Yes, my lady,_ " Sebastian repeated.

Kyra gaped. Raven _wasn't kidding_ about the scary fuchsia eyes and pointy teeth. Sebastian was _pissed_.

"THIS IS FOR BEATING ME FOR THINGS THAT _YOUR SON DID!_ " She screamed, her hands beating against his chest.

" _Yes, my lady._ "

"THIS IS FOR TAKING ME AWAY FROM THE ONLY REAL HOME I HAD!"

" _Yes, my lady._ "

Kyra's eyes were snapping between the two in shock.

Raven was beating the _shit_ out of Sebastian, and he was just... _taking_ it and agreeing with whatever she said.

And the things she was saying...

' _Why didn't she tell me?!_ '

Raven was silent for several moments, taking shaky breaths and sobbing as she smacked at his chest again and again. _"_ THIS IS FOR- _THIS IS FOR HOLDING ME DOWN SO YOU COULD CHECK OUT MY BOOBS!_ "

Kyra paled and froze as... _darkness_ seemed to... _emanate_ from Sebastian. Something _evil_ seemed to be rolling in waves off of him.

There were several moments of silence before he answered.

" _ **... Yes, my lady."**_

Kyra's heart skipped a beat at his voice.

 _Evil._

 _Enchanting._

 _Beautiful._

 _Dangerous._

 _ **... Deadly, or death itself?**_

Raven didn't seem to notice as she leaned on the demon, whose hands were gently holding her, supporting her so she didn't fall. She sobbed for quite a while before she took in a deep, shaky breath and smacked him several more times. "THIS IS FOR-!" She cried out. "This- THIS IS FOR... _THIS IS FOR RAPING AMY AND THOSE OTHER FOSTER GIRLS! AND THIS IS FOR TRYING TO RAPE_ _ **ME!**_ "

The darkness coiling around Sebastian began to pulsate, almost like a heartbeat. He was now completely in his _true form_.

And Raven didn't even _notice_.

Kyra had never been so afraid in her life.

What she felt and what she saw in that moment - they were something that, no matter how many words she was given, she could never describe the reality of.

What she saw next took her breath away.

Raven wept, snuggling against his chest, exhausted.

The demon slowly leaned down, wrapping his arms around her ever so gently.

" _ **Yes, my lady,"**_ he nearly whispered.

" _Why?_ " she whimpered. "Why did you all do that?"

" _ **Oh, little kitten,"**_ the demon sighed, running a clawed hand through her delicate hair. _**"It will**_ **never** _ **happen to you again."**_ A clawed finger gently tilted her face up to meet her in the eye. His thumb gently wiped away a tear. _**"This I promise to you."**_ Ever so gently, he lifted Raven in his arms and made his way back up the stairs.

Without a word, Kyra turned and went back to her room before he reached the hallway she was in, confident now that Sebastian had the situation handled.

' _He's got this._ '

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Raven's arms wrapped around Sebastian's neck as he walked into her room. He leaned down to ever so gently place her on the bed. He moved to let her go, but she held fast, blearily staring up at him. "I'm shorry," she mumbled. "I'm so mean to you but you're always so nice to me." Raven pulled his face towards her, parting her lips in anticipation of a kiss.

Oh. _Oh, dear._ She wanted to kiss him. Ah, how he wanted to close the gap between them himself, but it was not to be. She was... _inebriated_ , and he simply could not take advantage of her.

What kind of mate would he be if he did something like that?

What kind of mate would he be if he broke his promise to never hurt her?

" _ **Oh, my dear kitten,"**_ he whispered, pulling away and holding one of her hands in between his two. _**"My kitten, this kiss cannot be; not like this, not tonight. I yearn for your affection but I must be sure that you want to give it to me. You must be of clear mind."**_

She blinked up at him in confusion. "I thought you were supposed to be a demon."

" _ **My dear... For you, an angel."**_ Sebastian chuckled. _How ironic._ He looked down at her, seeing exhaustion so visible on her face. _**"My kitten, you need to rest now. You have had quite an eventful day."**_ He stood and began walking to the door. **'** _ **Why doesn't she ask for my help?**_ **'** he pondered. He fervently wanted to give her revenge - a closure of sorts - but was trying to talk himself out of it; he wanted it to be his gift to her, but Raven _had to want it_. He had been waiting all this time for her to give him _some_ sort of signal that it was what she wanted.

His hand froze on the doorknob when he heard Raven begin to softly weep.

"He can't do this to anyone again," she said softly.

In a flash, Sebastian was on one knee at Raven's bedside. _**"What was that, my lady? Were you speaking to me?"**_

Raven turned to him and stayed in a brooding silence for several moments before she spoke. "Someone has to stop him! He can't do this to another girl. I know he _will_ , though!" She exclaimed, her eyes almost pleading. " _Someone_ has to _stop_ him!" She closed her eyes, frustration showing ever so clearly even in her... _inebriated_ state and her next words were quietly whispered. "But no one will listen to me."

" _ **My lady**_ **..."** He whispered, bowing his head to hide his wicked, almost _joyous_ grin. _**"I am listening. That said, you do need sleep after the eventful night you have had. Please, sleep well,"**_ he smirked.

She was asleep a mere instant later.

" _ **Oh, my precious kitten, I heard you!"**_ He mused, his wicked grin growing as he slipped one hand under Raven's back, pulling up her blouse to touch his mark. _**"Thank you, kitten."**_ The demon focused for a moment, searching her memories to find _which_ realm she had come from, and _where_ she had lived. When he found what he searched for, a dark smile tainted his lips. _**"It happens**_ **tonight** _ **,"**_ he stated as he disappeared in a cloud of darkness, a wisp remaining in the room for a brief instant.

Raven's eyes snapped open, and she gasped at she slightly sat up. ' _Something touched me!_ ' she thought, looking around and spotting the dark wisp. "OHMYGOD! _KYRA! A GHOST!_ " She shouted, falling faint a moment thereafter.

In the other room, Kyra smiled.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

_**Chapter Fifteen:**_ _ **  
**_ ** _Click... Click... Click..._**

* * *

 _The sun was just beginning to set when Sebastian arrived_ on the porch of a rather nice looking decent sized house.

The moment Sebastian took a breath, his face twisted in disgust and he covered his nose with a clawed hand. _**'What in the world have the humans**_ **done** _ **to this world? It smells absolutely wretched. The fools.'**_ He shrugged it off and paused for a moment, noting that this was indeed the house from Raven's recent memories and that no one was home. **'** _ **No worries. I can wait,**_ **'** he mused, taking a step forward, appearing just inside the home. He glanced around, raising an eyebrow at the interior. It was nice-looking outside, but the inside... was not. It was a mess, to be frank.

He ignored it and peered instead at some of the unfamiliar appliances around the room. A strange large box and several rectangular ones nearby, made out of a strange material, were just a little bit away from a couch, chair and low table and side tables. He briefly wondered what in the world they were used for, but didn't care enough to investigate; he was more interested in finding Raven's room to take a peek before his prey returned home. Perhaps he could find something she may want to have; she _clearly_ hadn't been intending on leaving and hadn't had a chance to pack before coming to the world she now resided in.

With that thought in mind, he passed the living room into what seemed to be their dining room. A peek further in the house showed a kitchen and some stairs going up and down. A glance to the left found a hallway leading to several rooms. After approaching the hallway, he saw two rooms on either end with a bathroom in between them. He turned, deciding to check the room on the far right first. After opening the door and glancing around the room, he decided that it was _not_ Raven's room; it seemed a bit messier than she would have it, and the decor not to what he believed her tastes would be. But would he really know what her tastes would be?

Regardless, he closed the door again and walked over to the other room to peer inside.

At first glance, he had no doubt _this_ was her room, though it was a bit... _messier_ than expected. His eyes analysed the room, piecing together what had happened.

There were boxes strewn about, as well as articles of clothing, a few strange toys, and...

' _ **Well, now. What do we have here?'**_ He blinked in surprise, his eyes dancing across the wall. Two large pictures were placed on either side of a mirror that was attached to the back of the dresser. One was a rather... _suggestive_ picture of him tightening his glove at the wrist with his teeth, and the other a picture of him smiling with a rather adorable black cat. She looked so soft... Ah, but he mustn't become distracted! He came here for a purpose!

He eyed the poster curiously as he approached the dresser they rested above. **'** _ **What**_ **is** _ **that? It is not a picture, and there are no brush strokes so it is not a painting. How curious.**_ **'** Upon reaching the dresser, he noticed a small picture tucked between the mirror glass and the wooden frame. He gently pulled it out to look at it more closely. A young woman sat beside a man who looked to be around the same age. On their laps sat a young girl holding a slightly annoyed cat. **'** _ **Ah, it is my kitten when she was but a kitten, with a kitten,**_ **'** he mused, smirking at his own joke. **'** _ **She is quite adorable. This must be her parents with her - and what a beautiful little cat.**_ **'**

He glanced around the room, amused, as he tucked the photo into his pocket. He opened the closet door and saw a bag of sorts on the floor. He picked it up, figuring it would be useful, before holding it up higher with wide eyes. Again, his likeness was on the bag! Again, he was posing taking off his glove with his mouth! This time, he was removing his glove by the finger, posing provocatively with his pocket watch. **'** _ **She seems to enjoy that type of pose,**_ **'** he mused, placing the bag on her dresser and taking on his butler form once more. He took the finger of his glove in his teeth, striking the same exact pose as was depicted on the bag. He then took the edge of his glove in his teeth, tightening it once again.

He stared blankly at himself in the mirror. What did she see in this pose that struck her fancy so?

Ah, well. He had best keep investigating.

With a quick glance, he saw the zipper on the bag and opened it to find several hardcover books, binders, folders, papers bound together by wire and other unidentifiable objects. He emptied the bag onto the dresser. A larger pad of paper, roughly 20 by 30 centimetres, titled "Sketch" was on top. He opened it, idly flipping through it. There were some rather well-drawn illustrations in the book. ' _My kitten seems to have a hobby; she is quite talented,_ ' he thought with a sense of pride.

He turned another page and blinked in surprise once again. It was him! Again! His likeness was drawn on the page! He noticed a rather large amount of eraser marks, and this one was just his face, slightly tilted to the side with a slight smirk on his face. ' _Does she find me difficult to draw, or is she simply trying to be meticulous and get it_ _just-so?_ ' he wondered, his finger tracing along the edge of the paper for a moment before turning the page once more. Ah, it was back to people he didn't know. Ah, he was so tempted to continue looking through it, but he still had so much more to go through before his prey arrived… He begrudgingly placed the sketchbook along with her set of pencils, and sharpener back in the bag. He quickly scanned through the drawers, only finding garments, and moved on to the boxes. After glancing at the two open ones and seeing nothing of importance, he knelt down beside the closed box and opened it with fluid moments. When he saw what was inside, his eyes widened. ' _Oh... Oh, my goodness... How adorable!'_

He was brought back to reality when he heard something slam outside and voices coming closer to the house. _Ah_ , that must be his prey. He swiftly snatched up the contents of the box and put it in the bag with her art supplies and closed it. He hesitated a moment. ' _Perhaps I can attain more information about my kitten from these unsavory types before I punish them..._ ' He rested his chin on his hand for but a moment before he snatched up the bag and walked back to the living room. He left the bag on the dining room table and settled in the armchair to wait.

The door rattled for a moment as it unlocked, and swung open. A middle-aged woman and a young man entered the house, and they appeared to be in mid-conversation.

"So how far along are you emptying out that room?" The woman asked, closing the door behind them. "We really need to get a new girl in here; look at this house!"

"I'm like half-through already, she really didn't own much shit. Most of it is that weird ass cartoon shit and her clothes," the man shrugged, sitting down on the couch and lighting up a cigarette. "Try to get a normal girl this time, would ya? That last one was kind of a freak."

"I can try, but it's not up to me," the woman sighed, walking toward the dining room. "Oh, her backpack is on the table!" she exclaimed, disappearing into the hallway. "Raven, are you in here? Raven!"

The man picked an odd-looking rectangular object, pressing one of the buttons on it. The larger box across the room made a strange sound as it came to life, pictures moving on it as noise emanated from it.

' _It seems that my mate is wiser than I had first thought.'_ Sebastian eyed the man and glanced in the direction the mother had walked away. _'She was indeed correct when she said that she knew it would happen again, and she sent me here at just the right time._ '

"Tyson, she's not here but her backpack's on the table!" the mother called, coming back into the dining room.

He shrugged. "Maybe she heard us coming and bolted. You know how weird she is."

"Well, I looked in her room. You've got like ten minutes left of work in there. You can finish it after dinner," she said, walking into the kitchen.

"Whatever, get off my case!" Tyson snapped, pressing several buttons on the remote, the pictures on the screen changing constantly.

"You want to split a pizza?" the mother called from the kitchen, opening the top section of the refrigerator.

"Yeah, sure, just put the supreme one in."

"Yeah, okay." The woman wrinkled her nose in distaste, then muttered to herself, "I can just pick off the peppers..."

"That was the one good thing about Raven; she had good taste in pizza," Tyson muttered. "Do we have any garlic bread and salad to go with it?"

"I'm not Raven, I don't have the time to make a salad for you. I did pick up garlic bread to put in the oven, though."

The man groaned. "Did you wash my uniform yet? I told you I need it for tomorrow."

"I'm not Raven," the mother snapped. "Do your own damned laundry!"

"But you know I don't know how!"

The oven door was slammed closed and the woman huffed. "Fine, I'll start it for you, but you can finish it!" she snapped, stalking upstairs. "The least you could have done was put it in the basket and bring it down!"

He only rolled his eyes, staring at the box. A few minutes later, the woman came down the stairs and froze for a moment, staring into the living room.

"Oh, hello!" she exclaimed, setting down the basket and making her way over. "Tyson, you didn't tell me we had company?"

"Huh?" Tyson grunted. "The Hell are you talking abou-!" Tyson said, turning toward his mother's voice. He leapt up, completely startled. A stranger was sitting in the chair beside him! " _Who the Hell are you?!_ " he angrily demanded, charging without hesitation.

" _Honestly,_ " Sebastian chuckled, idly waving a hand at him, sending him flying into the wall before the man seemingly froze. He leaned back in the chair and crossed his legs. "I do hope _you_ will be more favorable."

The woman gawked with wide eyes, looking between the stranger and her son in shock.

"Please, be seated," he smirked, resting his chin on the back of his hand.

Her eyes snapped to his own, and she felt herself relaxing instantly. "Oh... Oh! A guest! I'm so sorry, I didn't know we'd be having company today!" She fretted, her eyes wide.

"Of course, miss. I only want to chat a bit first, you see?"

"Oh, yes, yes, of course!" She smiled, sitting down on the couch beside the chair he sat in, only an end table separating them.

"I have some inquiries about Miss Raven," he stated.

"Oh." The smile faded from the woman's face. "What about her?"

"Tell me everything you know about her," he ordered with a smile.

"Everything I know about her?" she repeated with a scowl. "She's a lying _bitch_ , she's always blaming _my_ _son_ for _impossible things_ that he would _never do_ , she's always causing _drama_ -"

" _No_ ," Sebastian interrupted, scowling, his eyes a burning fuchsia. "Tell me what she likes and doesn't like. Her hobbies, her interests, her favorite color? What kinds of food does she like best?"

"Oh. Well, that's simple," she blinked. "She's always either reading or drawing. She likes black and purple. She seems _obsessed_ with those stupid cartoon shows, especially that one about the butler. It's weird, it's no wonder she doesn't have any friends, other than that stupid Kyra bitch - I never liked her, she accuses my boy of ridiculous things, too. That's where Raven got it from, I'm sure - that stupid bitch put those ideas into her head!"

" _What foods does she like?_ " Sebastian snapped, his eyes narrowed.

The woman visibly flinched, then flirtatiously batted her eyelashes at the angry demon. "Why would a handsome man like you even _want_ to know anything about her? She's nothing but trouble."

" _What... kind... of foods... does... she like?_ " The words came out as a growl, and the woman flinched and answered immediately.

"Well, she likes pizza - I think she just likes Italian food in general, but she really seems to like pizza. Tyson, isn't she the one who really likes the pizza with the pepperoni and green peppers?" she paused for a moment, not registering that her son was currently unable to answer. "I think she's the one who likes that. She likes pasta too. And chocolate ice cream, and chocolate chip cookies. She likes chocolate. Fresh fruit! She loves raspberries and strawberries. I think she said something about strawberries and chocolate, I'm not sure. And angel food cake - oh, she _loves_ angel food cake."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "Of course she does. What exactly _is_ pizza?"

"Oh, just a moment - I have some frozen pizza in the freezer!" She stood, quickly sauntering into the kitchen, Sebastian following close behind. He stared as the woman opened the top section of the refrigerator, revealing various packaged frozen foods. She pulled out a circular package. He stared in confusion at the words on the package.

"Tombstone...?"

"That's just the brand, silly!" She waved her dismissively before holding out the package to him. "This is pizza. You just pop it in the oven at the temperature it says for the time it says and voila! Pizza!"

He took the package and unwrapped it, closely inspecting the strange food and sniffing a few times. "Thin bread with tomato sauce topped with mozzarella cheese and a bit of parmesan, and pepperoni. I also detect a bit of oregano..."

"We have one in the oven right now, too. Raven's favorite toppings," she said, opening the oven a bit to allow him to peer in. He did so, humming thoughtfully. "She likes to make that with a salad and some garlic bread for dinner," the woman nodded, then sighed. "Y'know, bread with butter and garlic salt cooked in the oven in foil? Easy, easy food."

"Yes, yes, I know what garlic bread is," he rolled his eyes, tossing aside the 'pizza'.

"Ooh!" The woman exclaimed as she looked in the freezer again. She pulled out another box and showed it to him. "Hamburgers! She and Kyra had those all the time. Usually cheeseburgers." He raised an eyebrow as she pulled out another bag. "And french fries with ketchup!" Several more bags were pulled out. "Amy and Raven like to make smoothies out of _this_ ," she explained, holding out several bags.

He took them and inspected the packaging. Frozen fruit.

"They'd mix that with some yogurt and ice cubes in the blender," she explained.

"..." He glanced from all of the frozen products she had removed to the refrigerator several times. ' _What, do they live out of this? All of their food is frozen?_ '

He was beginning to get confused when the woman pulled yet more frozen items from it. "Chicken nuggets! They like those too!"

"... Doesn't anyone cook for themselves?" he asked hesitantly, looking over the picture. It appeared to be simply chicken with a seasoned breading. "Is that food even edible?"

She shrugged. "Well, Raven always did, but really who has the time? And of course it's edible - and it tastes good, too."

He stared at her in horror. "Surely you jest."

"I do not."

He shook his head in disgust. "Is it not your job as the mother to care for your home and your family?"

She raised an eyebrow. "I work full time to provide for my family. I don't have time to be the traditional housewife."

He was taken aback. "Is that not the husband's job?"

She harrumphed in response. "God only knows where _that_ man is."

"I see," his eyes narrowed. "It runs in the family, then. She is certainly better off with _me_." He turned on his heel and walked back to the living room, the woman trailing behind. He stopped at the entrance of the room, glancing at the man before turning to the woman and ignoring the gasps of the now-unfrozen man. "Now, then... You mentioned your daughter?"

"Yes, Amy," she nodded.

"And where is she?" he inquired.

"She's at work. I'm sorry she's not here to meet you."

Sebastian smiled politely. "Oh, don't be sorry. That's just perfect."

The woman took several steps back as a dark, chilling aura enveloped her, a chill racing down her spine.

 ** _"_** _ **Now, the fun begins,"**_ he smiled darkly. _**"Thank you for being so cooperative. I suppose even such pathetic, disgusting humans such as yourselves can be at least somewhat useful. It is getting late, however, and I must return to the manor to check on my dear kitten."**_

The electric lights shatter, and the two humans shout in surprise. The man backed up, pulling out a new cigarette and lighting it up as he did so, his hands trembling.

The demon chuckled. _**"You really shouldn't do that; it's bad for your health."**_

A clawed hand lifted to beckon the cowering human over.

 ** _"_** _ **Come closer. It's time for us to talk together, now."**_

The human did the opposite, staggering back instead. He whirled around, pulling desperately at the door in an attempt to escape.

The door wouldn't budge.

 ** _"_** _ **I believe you may have guessed by now my true purpose of being here."**_

The man lifted his leg and began kicking at the door in a desperate attempt to break it down.

 ** _"_** _ **Yes, you have hurt my kitten, and I have come to give you the proper punishment."**_

As he spoke, the room darkened more, and feathers danced in the air.

The woman sobbed as her son panicked, ramming his shoulders against the door. "Please, do whatever you want to me, just let my son go!"

The demon scoffed. _**"You actually love that pathetic creature? He cares for no one but himself."**_ He gestured to her son. _**"Look at him."**_

"Please!" She begged, falling to her knees. "I'm begging you, please just let Tyson go! He didn't do anything wrong!"

 ** _"_** _ **Honestly..."**_ He scoffing, stalking over to the human man, his heels clicking ominously on the hardwood floor. _**"Humans never cease to confuse me."**_ The demon plucked the cigarette from the man's lips, ignoring his terrified shout. _**"Do excuse my lack of manners, but I will be using this now."**_ He turned and made his way back to the woman. _**"Those eyes which refused to accept what they saw... shall I burn them?"**_

He smiled sickly sweet, grasping her head in his clawed hand.

 ** _"_** ** _I believe Miss Raven had called out for help, yet no one saved her, hmm? You_ chose _not to see it."_** He tsked. ** _"Ahh, Raven was not the only one, either. He preyed on your daughter as well - and went much further than he had managed with little Raven. This is not to mention the other young ladies you fostered. You chose not to see_ any _of it... You should be thankful. Now, you will not even have to choose whether or not to see your son die."_**

" _No!_ " She cried, writhing in his grasp. " _Please, no! Please, don't do this!_ Tyson is a good boy, he never meant to hurt anybody! Please, stop this! Please don't hurt him! Please let him go!"

The demon raised an eyebrow, lifting the cigarette in his hand. " _ **Oh, mother dear, oh, mother dear. You call out so much for your son, but do you not realise that while you cry out for him, he doesn't cry out for you? He doesn't seem care, does he?"**_

A cruel smile twisted on his lips as he pressed the burning cigarette against her eye. A giddy joy swelled up inside of him as she screamed, clawing desperately at his hand. As he removed it from her eye, he chuckled darkly as she panted heavily.

 ** _"_** _ **Awh, your little boy... He isn't crying out for you as your eyes are burned, is he? Look at him, just standing there! Look at that!"**_ He moved, allowing her to see past him. **_"Look at your son. Is that fear on his face? No. He's_ enjoying _this - your_ suffering. _He cares not for anyone but himself."_**

He paused for a moment.

 ** _"_** _ **He does not argue with me. He does not deny anything that I said. He just stands there, useless, like always."**_

Tyson began throwing lamps, chairs, anything he could reach at the windows in a failed attempt to break one.

 ** _"_** _ **You're wasting your time! Do**_ **something** _ **more creative! You are so boring!"**_ the demon urged. _**"No one can hear you outside, anyway."**_

Sebastian burned her remaining eye and let her fall to the ground, staring at Tyson.

 ** _"_** _ **Tell me, have you ever done anything useful in your life, or have you merely existed, your very existence being that of a leech? You take, you hurt, and you never give. Nothing is ever earned by you. Everything, your entire life, has been given to you on a silver platter by your mother, who never could accept to see you for who you truly are-**_ " Sebastian flicked the cigarette over his shoulder, and it landed directly on the gasping woman before sparking up and engulfing her in flames, her screams almost drowning out his voice as he continued to speak, " _ **-a useless being who does nothing but take what he wants, without regard to any repercussions of your actions.**_ " He smirked. " _ **Tonight, you will understand what it feels like to be hurt, to feel like nothing.**_ "

Tyson tried again to open the door and run away, but it still would not open. The demon took a step toward him, and he panicked, racing past him, past the dining room and into the kitchen. He acted as though he was going to snatch up a knife before he changed his mind and ran upstairs. Sebastian stared after him with mild interest.

 ** _"_** _ **Ah, so you want me to chase you? Not really original or creative, but I'm willing to play."**_

The demon followed at a leisurely pace, his heels clicking with every step. As he passed by the dining room table, he absently picked up the bag and slung a strap over his shoulder.

 ** _"_** _ **Tyson~"**_ He sang, his voice echoing throughout the house.

Ominous.

Dangerous.

Terrifying.

 ** _"_** _ **Tonight, you will understand what it feels like to be hurt, to feel like nothing.**_ "

 _Click... click... click..._

A door slammed shut, telling Sebastian exactly where his prey was. **"** _ **You like to slam people's heads into things, hm?**_ " Sebastian flicked his hand and Tyson's head crashed into the wall. He gasped in shock.

 _Click... click... click..._

 ** _"_** _ **Ahh, you did it to your sister and the others as well.**_ "

Tyson cried out as he was repeatedly slammed against the wall by an invisible force.

 _Click... click... click…_

The sound of the demon approaching was driving Tyson mad with terror.

Not a moment after he thought this, the sound... _stopped_.

 _ **Silence.**_

Tyson barely dared to breathe as the silence dragged on.

Where was he?

What was he possibly doing so silently?

 _What was he going to do?!_

The silence dragged on for at least a full sixty seconds before Tyson heard him again.

 _ **A quiet, dark chuckle.**_

He wasn't even sure if he even heard it until it slowly began to grow louder, soon turning into a full-blown laugh as the clicking of footsteps began again.

 _ **Click... click... click…**_

 ** _"_** _ **Ah, yes... It seems we have something in common. We both enjoy kicking others...**_ "

 _ **Click... click... click…**_

Tyson shouted in fear as he was lifted in the air, and screamed as he was thrown against the wall, and was simply _held there._

 _ **Click... click... click...**_

Silence again.

The doorknob slowly, ominously turned, and Tyson cried out again as he was released and hit the floor as the door opened. He groaned, hesitantly opened his eyes, feeling himself freezing in terror at what he saw.

Those... damned... heels.

Those two very ornate heeled boots.

 ** _"_** _ **However... we don't enjoy being kicked by others."**_

Another dark chuckle.

 ** _"_** _ **That's too bad... for you. Well, then..."**_

A dark smile spread across his lips.

 ** _"_** _ **This is for Raven getting beaten for things that**_ **you** _ **did."**_

Tyson screamed, pain piercing through his body as the demon's foot dug into his stomach.

 ** _"_** _ **This is for holding my kitten down and defiling her with your eyes."**_

And again.

 ** _"_** _ **This is for raping Amy."**_

And again.

 ** _"_** _ **This is for raping the other foster girls."**_

And again.

 ** _"_** _ **This is for attempting to molest Miss Kyra."**_

And again.

 ** _"_** _ **This is for breathing."**_

And again.

 ** _"This is for attempting to defile and rape my mate."_**

Tyson cried out in agony as the demon's boot made hard contact with his groin.

 ** _"_** _ **And this is for making my mate cry."**_

Tyson screamed as he was sent flying across the room into the wall. As he was falling down, something invisible took hold of him and sent him against the opposite wall again... and again.

Tyson blearily stared down at the demon, breathing heavily as he was held up against the wall.

The damned demon had done all of that by just moving his finger.

He held up a hand and drew down his index finger ever so slowly, placing Tyson back down on the floor.

 ** _"_** _ **Oh, did you think you were going to die, now? No, no, no, my friend!"**_ He tsked, leaning down to put his face beside Tyson's. _**"We are just beginning."**_

"No!" he croaked. "Stop, please! I'm begging you!"

 ** _"_** _ **Oh?"**_ The demon raised an eyebrow. _**"You mean like all those girls begged you?"**_

Tyson screamed again as, once again, the demon kicked him.

 ** _"'_** _ **He can't do this to anyone again.'"**_

And again.

 ** _"'_** _ **Someone has to stop him!'"**_

And again.

 ** _"'_** _ **He can't do this to another girl!'"**_

And again.

 ** _"'_** _ **I know he will, though!'"**_

And again.

 ** _"'_** _ **Someone has to stop him! '"**_

And again.

 ** _"'_** _ **But no one will listen to me.'"**_

He placed his foot firmly on the whimpering man.

 ** _"_** _ **This is what she said to me."**_

And again.

" _ **This is what she said TO ME.**_ _ **"**_

Sebastian scowled, looking rather insulted as he gripped the man by the front of his shirt, lifting him off the floor to his eye level.

 ** _"_** _ **But I...**_ _**I was listening.**_ _ **"**_

As Sebastian's fist met Tyson's face, he smirked at the sound of the bone and cartilage cracking underneath.

 _ **"I was listening very closely."**_

He righted Tyson before punching him again. _ **  
**_

 _ **"I heard her.**_ _ **"**_

And again.

" _ **I will always listen.**_ _ **"**_

He let him fall to the floor before kicking him once again.

" _ **I will always hear her.**_ _ **"**_

And again.

 ** _"_** _ **And you? You will never do that to anyone ever again."**_

He placed his foot firmly on the whimpering man once again.

 ** _"Al_ _as, it is rather unfortunate that you learned this lesson of how to properly treat a lady so late in life. You will never be able to_ use _this knowledge that I have bestowed upon you._ _ **T** his is your end. This is the end of this chapter of her life - and the final chapter of yours._ _"_**

He put pressure on the man's throat, his heel digging and piercing in ever so slightly into his flesh before pausing.

 ** _"_** _ **Oh, you shall not drown on your own blood. No, you shall feel the flames of my wrath."**_

He chuckled, spreading his hand out before him, _calling_ on the flames he knew still burned below. A wide smile stretched on his face as they heeded his call, bursting forth to engulf the house in his hellfire.

 _ **Click... click... click…**_

Tyson felt the air around him drying, _warming_ the air, as the _**demon**_ turned and began walking away.

 _ **Click... click... click…**_

 _Those... damned... heels..._

He coughed as the fire rose around him, too weak to even attempt to run anymore. As the fire crept up around him, catching onto his clothes, enveloping him in a blazing inferno, he let out one last gurgled scream.

 _ **Click... click...**_ **_click..._**


	16. Chapter Sixteen

_**Chapter Sixteen:**_

 _Kyra Approves_

* * *

 _ **October 26, 1888**_

* * *

 _Kyra quietly closed the door behind her, careful not to wake up her sleeping friend. She turned and jumped in surprise, her eyes wide as she stared at the butler who had_ not _been there just a moment ago._

" _Well-" Kyra began, falling silent when the butler held a finger to his lips, telling her to be quiet as he gestured to the door and then to follow him. She smirked and nodded, and followed the demon down the hallway._

 _The demon led her down to the parlour, where he offered her a seat which she gladly took. On the table in front of her rested a decanter of wine, a pitcher of water and a platter of crackers and cheeses. He offered her the wine, and she gratefully accepted, sipping on the glass he poured and offered her._

" _Well, that was rather convenient," she finished her sentence from before. "I was hoping to speak with you."_

" _And I you," the demon mused, a smirk flashing across his face._

" _Sit down and let's have a talk, then," the blonde replied, waving a hand at the seat across from her._

 _He chuckled. "Miss Raven requested the same. How strange."_

" _In our time, it is considered rude not to sit down so that we can talk eye to eye rather than me having to look up at you," she replied smoothly._

" _Oh?" he rose a brow. "In your time?"_

 _She nodded. "Sit down so we can talk."_

 _The demon obliged, settling down in the chair across from her, crossing his legs and leaning back a bit._

" _Alright. I understand you were asking Raven about Tyson," she began, her eyes narrowed. "_ _ **Why, and how do you know of him?**_ _"_

 _His lips twitched in amusement. "Is this going to be another interrogation like with the kitten?"_

 _Kyra snorted derisively. "You thought whatever she gave you was an interrogation? You ain't seen nothing yet, from either of us - and you_ do _realise she's not a furry little animal. She's a human being."_

 _He raised an eyebrow. "I do not mean any offence referring to Raven as a kitten. I merely happen to adore cats, and use it a form of endearment."_

" _You don't know her well enough for that," Kyra retorted._

" _Not yet, I suppose. Yet, while I have dared not hope for such a gift, I have been yearning for one such as she for centuries," he replied. "Fear not; I shall prove myself worthy of her."_

" _Really, now," Kyra snorted. "I doubt it - she's really not fond of 'fucking demons', pun intended." At that, Sebastian looked at her in shock. "I won't deny you seem sincere, but you have yet to earn my trust. Now answer the question. Flowery speech does not impress either of us."_

" _Of course," he smirked. "When I saved Miss Raven by placing my mark on her, I saw many of her memories. Not in full, but enough to know some things that have happened to her."_

" _..." Kyra stared at him with a raised eyebrow, sipping her wine. "Go on."_

" _I believe Miss Raven more than likely confided in you some_ _of the_ _terrible issues with_ _ **Tyson**_ _."_

 _Kyra's eyebrow remained raised at the venomous tone the man's name was spoken in. Inside, she felt sheer delight. "Yes, she has. Why are you asking her about him if you know how it makes her feel?"_

" _Why, I mean to kill him, of course!" the demon replied as if it were obvious._

'Aaand I was right again. Kyra approves,' _Kyra thought, sipping her wine again. "When? And you do know that Raven had a foster sister there who she cares deeply for?"_

 _The demon hummed, resting his chin on his hand. "I would prefer to do it sooner rather than later, though I would prefer the kitten asked me to avenge her. In regards to her foster sister, you needn't worry over her safety. If my kitten cares for her, she will not be harmed."_

" _If you're hoping Raven's going to ask you to kill him, you'll be waiting a very long time. As in eternity. She's a gentle soul; she wishes no harm on anyone, including people who deserve it - although I believe deep inside she_ would _like revenge, or at least for him to be sent to prison so he can't do it to anyone else."_

" _I have seen the most gentle of humans become bloodthirsty given the opportunity," he replied._

 _Kyra's expression darkened dramatically. "_ _ **Nothing**_ _about Raven will or should ever become even remotely '_ _ **bloodthirsty**_ _'. If she should ever become like that, you will have_ _ **me**_ _to deal with. Even demons are not immortal."_

 _Sebastian chuckled. "Of course, Miss Kyra. I also would not wish this of Raven. I was merely stating a fact."_

" _Right," Kyra drawled._

" _Now, then, Miss Kyra. Might I inquire as to what you meant when you said 'in our time'?"_

" _Exactly what I said," she replied, "and what you already know. You're not stupid."_

" _Of course," he nodded with a smile. "I had suspected as much, though your confirmation has been welcome. Are all of the women from your time this... forward?"_

" _Sadly, no, but quite a few of us are. We're learning," she shrugged, picking up a cracker. "If you genuinely care about Raven, don't push her too hard. She's fragile right now, and you will need to be patient. If you break her, I will break you, and I_ _ **will**_ _break you."_

" _Of course," he chuckled, then grew a more serious expression. "Your fierce loyalty to Miss Raven is commendable. It is no wonder she cares_ _so much_ _for you. I believe your presence will help her through this. It will no doubt be difficult for her."_

 _Kyra said nothing, merely staring._

" _Do you have any knowledge of the others?"_

" _She didn't talk about it much," she replied, "and I know better than to push. You should, too."_

 _He nodded._

" _I understand you said that you two are 'mates.' I understand that a 'mate' is basically lovers."_

" _My lady, if I may interject," Sebastian interrupted. At his nod, he continued. "A mate goes much further than simple lovers. It goes even further than a husband and wife. I could tell that Raven herself was not ready to hear this yet, however, I want to assure you that my intentions are nothing but good with Raven. Demons normally do_ _ **not**_ _have mates. They are alone for their entire existence; a punishment for their sins. Only recently has the gift of love been bestowed upon only a_ _ **very**_ _select few. I never even_ _ **hoped**_ _that it would happen to me, so you must understand how much more a mate means to one such as I. I have been alone for thousands of years."_

 _Kyra sucked in a deep breath, staring deeply into his eyes. She saw a deep pain, despondence even. She prayed she would never feel this way._

 _They fell silent for a few moments._

 _She meekly nodded. '_ Kyra approves, _' she thought as she looked into his eyes._

" _Again, I am very glad that she has a friend with her to help her through this. I cannot imagine that this will, in any way, be easy for her. As I have told her, this is new to me as well, and I do not wish to frighten her."_

" _We shall see," Kyra replied, narrowing her eyes at him after a moment. She held up a hand, pointing two fingers at her eyes then one at him. "I've got my eyes on you..."_

 _He gave her a strange look. "Of course, Miss Kyra."_

* * *

 _ **October 28, 1888**_

* * *

Breakfast alone with Ciel was rather quiet. Conversation was sparse, polite and limited to mostly pleasantries. Ciel, of course, inquired about Raven, and Kyra merely told him she was not feeling well. After breakfast, Kyra first checked on Raven.

' _Sleeping like the dead, I see,_ ' she mused, glancing at her. She looked rather exhausted, which was to be expected after last night. Kyra sucked in a breath when she noticed something placed beside Raven's bed. She approached the bedside table for a closer look. Silently, she stared for several moments before nodding. ' _Kyra approves._ '

She then decided to head down to the garden for a bit. Shortly after she began walking around, Sebastian came to her, just as she expected. She noted he looked rather self-satisfied and glared in warning.

"So, you're very pleased with yourself. The trick with the alcohol worked, huh?" Kyra glowered.

Sebastian adopted a serious face once more. "Miss Kyra, I offered her a glass to calm her. I never expected she would _keep the bottle and try to drink half of it in one night_."

"Hmph!" Kyra harrumphed. "Of _course_ you didn't, especially when you told her how it would help her relax. However, you _did_ handle the situation last night quite well."

"Thank you," he bowed, a hand on his chest, "however it was very painful to see her so distraught, so in pain."

"And the one who caused that?" she said, her eyes averted to the flowers. "How does _he_ fare?"

"I am pleased to inform you that only one of the party of three enjoyed themselves last night," he replied with a smirk.

"Have they been sliced and diced?"

" _What_ is _with_ you ladies and the cutlery?" he shook his head in confusion. "No, this was far more personal."

"Ah," Kyra replied, looking rather disappointed, then her head snapped toward him. "Wait a minute, what do you mean _the party of three_? Who were the other two?"

"Of course, the one who _allowed_ this all to happen, and the one who _performed the deeds_ ," he smiled.

"I always suspected she knew," Kyra murmured. ' _Kyra definitely approves._ '

"Oh, she indeed did," Sebastian confirmed.

Kyra turned fully toward Sebastian. "I need to ask you for a favour."

He blinked in surprise. "You ask a favour of me?"

"Yes," she stated. "I want to go and see my mother."

"Miss Kyra," he replied, an eyebrow quirked, "I do hope you have not forgotten what I am."

"Of course I haven't," Kyra scoffed. "I hope you haven't forgotten who my best friend is, either."

He took a step over and glanced over the flowers before returning his gaze to her. "When asking a demon a favour, a bargain is always made. One cannot have a favour from a demon without giving something in return, regardless of the connections one has."

She merely scoffed. "You sound like you belong in Lord of the Rings."

"I beg your pardon?" he rose an eyebrow inquisitively.

In response, she held up a hand in the shape of an 'o'. " _One does not simply ask a favour from a demon without giving something in return_ ," she said in a low, very dramatic voice. "That's right, you would never have seen it. It wasn't even _written_ yet," she sighed. "I saw the picture you brought back for Raven. It was kind of you, and it made me realise that I miss many things from back there, but most importantly, I want to see my mother - and my cat."

Kyra did not miss how his eyes lit up. "You have a cat?"

"Yes. Her name is Sylvanas," Kyra replied, suppressing a giggle. "She is named after a Banshee Queen, the Dark Lady."

"What a beautiful name for, I'm sure, a beautiful cat," he beamed. "I can take you in approximately one hour."

"Okay, I will be ready then," she nodded, then muttered, " _I should have brought up the cat first..._ "

Sebastian only smiled slightly and excused himself.

After loitering in the garden a bit more and idle chit-chat with Finny, she headed back up to Raven's room to check on her once more. After seeing that she was still asleep, she went back to her own room to decide on a list of things she'd bring back and what exactly to _say_ to her mother - how to _explain this_. It would _not_ be easy.

She was just going over her list one last time when she heard the tell-tale signs that Raven was awake; she heard several soft bangs, curses, the bathroom door being opened, and what sounded like Raven being sick.

Without hesitation, Kyra went over to Raven and found her on her knees, worshipping the porcelain throne so-to-speak. Kyra knelt down beside her friend and held her hair back without a word. When Raven seemed to be done, Kyra ran into her room and got her a glass of water.

Raven gratefully accepted it with a muttered "thank you" and rinsed her mouth a few times. "I feel so drained, and my head is pounding."

"That's not surprising, especially after you vomited like that. You'd get a headache from that alone," Kyra replied, gently rubbing her back. Raven said nothing. "Do you want to go back in your room now?"

Slowly, the shorter girl nodded. Kyra wordlessly walked back into Raven's room with her and sat on her bed. Raven paused, staring at her bedside table. She approached it and picked it up before sitting on her bed next to Kyra.

There was a long stretch of silence as Raven stared blankly at the photo.

"..."

"..."

"Oh."

"Oh?" Kyra tilted her head to the side with a raised eyebrow.

"..." After another long stretch of silence, Raven looked up at Kyra. "... This may not make sense, but... I actually feel guilty... for _not_ feeling guilty."

Kyra paused at that for a moment. "No, that actually does make sense."

"I mean... I _know_ I... _kind of_ gave him permission? I _kind_ of _told_ him to do that, but... I don't really feel _bad_ about it, not really, and I don't know _why_ , but I think I _should_."

Kyra silently looked at her troubled friend. "That's normal. After what he did to you, that's completely normal."

"I..." Raven fell silent again, staring at the photo. "He... He thought to bring this back to me?"

"Wouldn't be here if he didn't," Kyra replied.

Raven fell silent for another moment. "I suppose you heard and saw everything last night, then."

"Most of it, but not all," Kyra quietly answered. "I came in when you started screaming at him and left when he starting carrying you back to your room."

"... Oh," Raven continued staring at the photo. "So you saw me hit him, then."

"A few times."

"Did you see me throw the book at his face?"

Kyra froze before bursting out in laughter. " _You threw the book at his face?!_ "

" _... And hit him with it a few times,_ " she muttered.

Kyra giggled before holding Raven in her arms. "Don't worry, he can take it."

Raven slowly shook her head. "It still doesn't make it right. Yeah, he's a demon. Yeah, I don't want to be in this situation. It still doesn't excuse my behaviour, especially when he has shown me nothing but kindness thus far. I owe him more than an apology. I just want to go back to my normal self. I don't like myself right now." She looked over to Kyra with a weary expression on her face. "Do you not find it ironic that the one being cruel and violent is the human, and the one showing understanding and kindness is the demon?"

"About that," Kyra chuckled wryly. "You know how you've been always saying how you don't _trust_ him, you're _afraid_ of him?" When Raven nodded, she continued. "Ah... When he was carrying you up the stairs and you were beating the shit out of him, he was in his true form. He _had_ been since you said 'this is for' the... _latest_ thing Tyson had done. While you were _hitting_ him, he was wiping the tears from your face and stroking your hair, saying, ' _Yes, my lady_.' Even _fully_ transformed and bleeding, he did _nothing_ but care for you."

Raven blinked in surprise. "He was transformed? But I didn't notice him transform. Wait, I made him _bleed_?" Raven quietly groaned.

"You were drunk and more than a bit emotional," Kyra replied, pausing when Raven gasped. When Raven said nothing, merely sitting there with wide eyes, Kyra spoke. "I take it you remembered something?"

"His wings were _beautiful_ ," she whispered. "I never felt that safe with _anyone_."

" _Safe?!_ " Kyra questioned in bewilderment. "How could you feel _safe_ when you were beating him up like that?"

"I..." Raven paused, struggling for words. "I never felt safe enough to _let that out_."

"You felt safe enough to let all that out and beat him without fear of him retaliating and hitting you back," Kyra reiterated. "Does that not mean something to you?"

"..." Raven was silent for several long moments before muttering out a feeble excuse. "... I was drunk."

Kyra nodded, satisfied she had gotten her point across even though she Raven wouldn't be admitting anything yet.

This was just the way Raven worked. You say something that she doesn't believe or want to admit, she makes a weak excuse, but she thinks about it.

They sat in silence for a few more moments before the blonde spoke up again. "Just a forewarning, the tailor will be coming in the afternoon again for a fitting."

Raven smiled gently. "Oh, it'll be nice to see her again. Hopefully, my headache will be gone by then."

"Well, try to eat something. Mey-Rin left a platter over there on the table. Do you want anything warm to drink?" Kyra offered.

"I'm fine with just water, thank you," Raven replied.

The girls' attention was grabbed by a knock on the door. "My ladies, pardon the intrusion. May I enter for just a moment?"

Ah, it was Sebastian.

"Y-yes, do come in," Raven stammered, standing. Kyra followed suit as the door opened and he entered. "M-mister Sebastian, regarding last night-"

"My lady," he smoothly interrupted, stepping forward and placing a hand on the back of her head. "Please, allow me." Sebastian leaned down, his hands moving to either side of her face. Gently, he kissed her forehead before moving back. "How do you feel now, my lady?" he smiled.

Raven slowly blinked in confusion. "My... headache is gone? Physically, I'm fine?"

"Whooaaaa," Kyra drawled. "The man kissed your owie and made you all better!"

"Kyra!" Raven squeaked.

"What?! It just happened!" Kyra laughed.

"S-S-Sebastian-" Raven began again.

He held up a hand with a smile. "My lady. You just rest, eat and take care of yourself. We may talk later, when you have regained your strength." He turned to Kyra. "Miss Kyra, let me know when you are ready to depart."

Raven eyed the two questioningly as Kyra replied, "I am ready now."

"Splendid," Sebastian answered. He paused, looking over at Raven. "Ah, yes, I had almost forgotten. Here you are, my kitten," he smirked, handing her a bag. "Such a handsome bag. Do remember to keep your items in your closet when not in use. We shall not be gone too long."

He placed a hand on Kyra's shoulder, and they disappeared in a rush of darkness, Raven's scream of "YOU WENT THROUGH-!" trailing behind them.

Kyra snorted as they arrived in an alley nearby what she recognised as Raven's street. "You have _impeccable_ timing."

"Why, thank you," Sebastian smiled.

"You do realise we're _both_ going to be in for it when we get back, right? Especially you."

"Oh, yes. I understand. I shall endure my kitten's wrath," he nodded, smirking. "Do lead on."

"The wrath of Raven," Kyra shivered. "Anyway - aw, _hell_ naw. We are _not_ going out in public in Victorian-era clothing."

He raised an eyebrow. "What is wrong with our attire?"

A snort. "What _isn't_?"

"Very well," he replied. "Do excuse me."

Kyra gasped as he lifted her in his arms. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Please tell me where to go," he requested.

She pointed, "When you get to the fifth block, it's almost in the middle of the block."

He nodded. "Very well, then."

Kyra grinned. "Okay, big boy, let's go! I wanted to see what this was like!"

Sebastian grimaced, narrowing his eyes at her before setting off.

As they went, a few pedestrians swore they heard a woman screaming, " _ **WHEEEEEEEE!**_ "

Sebastian soon stopped, quickly setting her on her feet, steadying her as she wobbled a bit. "I do hope that my kitten comes to enjoy that as much as you seem to," he mused.

Kyra laughed. "That was _so_ much fun, and I do _not_ see why she thinks it's so scary. Of course, those were our opinions about roller coasters, too." She pointed at a nearby house. "It's this house here. Let's go."

When they arrived, Kyra pulled a spare key from the potted plant near the door and unlocked it, quickly going inside. Sebastian closed the door behind them.

"What time is it?" she pondered, glancing at the clock on the cable box. "Ah, good. She should be home any minute. I'll go upstairs and start packing while we wait. You just stay here. Don't be offended if the cat doesn't come by you - Sylvanas is kinda a people hater; she doesn't like anyone except my mom for more than five seconds."

Sebastian merely nodded, and the young woman rushed upstairs. His eyes darted about the home, searching. His breath caught in his throat when he felt something rubbing against his leg. He looked down, and a blush quickly grew on his face.

"Oh... _Oh, my..._ " His eyes softened. "Aren't you beautiful? Oh, what is that you have?"

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Kyra perked up when she heard a car pull up outside, and the door slam. She peeked out the window to confirm and squealed when she saw her mother exiting her car. She snatched her camera off her desk and rushed downstairs. She prepared her camera and was not disappointed.

She pressed the record button.

' _Oh... my... God. HE FOUND THE TOY, and the cat is actually USING it!_ '

There, sitting on her living room floor, sat Sebastian, who was holding a stick connected to a string, at the end of which was a small cluster of feathers.

He was waving it to and fro, in the air and across the floor, with the most ridiculously happy face _ever_. Lady Sylvanas Windrunner was excitedly leaping back and forth after the feathers.

' _That damned cat would never play with_ me _,_ ' she pouted to herself.

A moment later, the door slowly opened, and her mother hesitantly walked inside, stopping short when she saw a stranger gleefully waving a stick with feathers around while her cat chased it back and forth. She turned and saw her daughter videotaping the aforementioned stranger. She gasped, her eyes widening. "KYRA, YOU'RE OKAY!" she screamed, dropping her purse and keys and dashing over to her daughter to embrace her tightly, tears in her eyes. "Oh, thank God you're okay! Oh, Kyra!"

Kyra closed her eyes, returning the hug. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, _so_ sorry! I didn't mean to worry you so."

Her mother stepped back, eyeing her critically, tears still streaming down her face. "What on God's green Earth are you wearing?" she laughed.

Kyra joined her in laughing. "Right? I blame him," she pointed at the enamoured demon, still happily playing with the cat. "And I always _knew_ that cat was evil."

"Huh?" her mother's creased in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Kyra grew serious but lifted the camera to continue videotaping Sebastian. "Come and sit down. We have a lot to discuss. You, too, Sebastian!"

His head snapped up. "But I _am_ sitting!" His attention diverted back to the cat. "That's a good girl!" he cooed. He held up the stick, cat partially attached, and looked at the two women, a wide, goofy grin on his face. " _This_ is a _wonderful_ creation!" He blinked, just now noticing there were _two_ women rather than one. "Oh, please do excuse my manners! I just got so carried away by this lovely little lady," he apologised, standing and bowing. "My name is Sebastian Michaelis," he smiled.

"Sebastian, this is my mother, Rona Woodson," Kyra introduced as her mother's eyes flitted between the two in suspicion.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady," Sebastian said.

"Hm," Rona glanced between the two. "Now, I think I _know_ why you've been missing."

Kyra's face quickly turned red. "NO, mom! He's _Raven's_. Now sit down and we'll explain things to you."

She raised an eyebrow at her daughter. Sebastian tapped her on the shoulder, a smirk on his face from Kyra's comment. "She _will_ make you sit. The ladies enjoy making you sit before they'll talk to you."

"Speaking from experience, I see?"

He merely smiled and she took a seat, looking expectantly at her daughter as she sat beside her.

"Now, I'll start at the beginning," Kyra sighed. "When we woke up, Raven had a strange black book. She thought I had gifted it to her. I did not. Neither of us had ever seen this book before. She said she'd gone through it and it was empty. We went through it again and it had some gibberish on a page with some weird ass instructions. After I talked to you on the phone, I convinced her to do what it said, thinking we'd just have some fun and get her mind off things."

Kyra's mother closed her eyes and sighed heavily. "My daughter, the _idiot_. I thought I taught you better than this..."

Kyra sighed. "You did, but we did it, and we ended up being transported to another realm and another time." She looked point blank at her mother. "You know that anime that Raven's been into? Black Butler?"

Rona nodded.

Kyra pointed at Sebastian. "Here he is, the Black Butler in the flesh."

Her eyes widened.

"By the way, he's a real, honest-to-God _fucking demon_."

Rona quickly stood, stalking over to him. She stared intently for several long moments before turning back to her daughter. "I don't think so!"

Sebastian's face was a cross between confusion and exasperation.

Kyra continued on. "Yes, we were transported to 1888 _London_ , and _yes, mom_ , he _is_ a demon."

"I don't think so," she repeated. "Okay, so you got transported to 1888 London. He brought _you_ back here. Why didn't he just bring Raven back here, too?"

Kyra was silent for a few moments. "Because I'm going back."

"..." Her mother stared at her silently. "Why?"

"If I may," Sebastian interjected. "Miss Raven is my mate. As you can imagine, this has been quite shocking for her to learn, to be transported from your time to mine, and Miss Kyra has been good enough to stand by her friend and help her make the adjustment - and I _am_ a demon. Do you need a demonstration, madam?"

"Yes, give her a _demon_ stration!" Kyra giggled. "But don't scare her too much."

"If you'd like," the woman shrugged.

Not a moment after, his smirking lips parted, revealing sharpening teeth as his eyes changed colour and became slit. Tendrils of darkness danced around him as the room darkened and his aura strengthened.

Rona's eyes widened in shock. "Okay, okay, that's enough!" She was visibly shaken.

Instantly, everything ceased and his smile returned to his usual polite grin. "Of course, madam."

"Kyra, I would like to speak to your 'friend' in private. Please go upstairs and start packing your things."

"So... it's okay that I go?" Kyra blinked in surprised confusion.

"Upstairs. Now."

"Yes, ma'am!" Without another moment's hesitation, Kyra went back upstairs. She had gotten only a bit of her packing done before she heard her mother calling her back downstairs. She quickly ran back down the stairs and entered the dining room to see her mother furiously sketching on her pad of paper. She glanced around, seeing the demon nowhere in sight.

"Your friend said he would be back to pick you up, but needed to take care of something in the meantime. I put together some useful things for you to bring back with you over on the kitchen counter."

Wordlessly, Kyra walked over to the counter. Aspirin, pads, tampons, antibiotics, vitamins, Neosporin, band-aids, sage sticks, a few large feathers and crucifixes - in both necklace form, handheld form, and wall plaques.

She slowly blinked. "Three of these things are not like the others."

"Take it all. You may need it."

"These won't do anything to him, mom."

"Just take them."

"Yes, ma'am," Kyra replied, stacking the items a bit more together and putting them on the dining room table near her mother. "Do you have any extra pictures of nana I can take back?"

"Sure," she nodded, closing the sketch pad and walking away. She soon came back with a small framed picture and handed it to her daughter. "Time to talk. Sit down."

Kyra stared at her mother for a moment. "We _do_ say that a lot, don't we?"

Her mother paused for a moment. "We do. Now sit down."

They both sat.

"Now, I know there is a _lot_ you didn't say when _he_ was here, _because_ he was here. Get talking before he returns."

Kyra nodded and let out a shaky breath. "I saw him in all his glory last night. He has the most magnificent wings I've ever seen..."

As the two women spoke, they only came upon more questions than they had originally. Eventually, the subject matter changed ever so slightly.

"Okay, enough about that. Do you feel safe around him?" Rona inquired.

"I feel safer around him than _Raven_ does," she shrugged.

"Well, of course. She's been through a lot and she's always been a sensitive. How is she?"

"She has been better, but I think she will be okay. I feel weird saying this, but... I think he is good for her because of the way he treats her," Kyra replied hesitantly.

"We'll see," she hummed. "There's something else, too, isn't there?"

"The mark," Kyra nodded. "It's his symbol. It looks a lot like his contract symbol, but he said it's different. I just... If it functions _anything_ like his contract symbol, it means he can find her _anywhere_ because it's _already on her_."

Rona paled a bit, suppressing a shiver. "Now _that_... definitely _is_... _demonic_ , putting his mark on her like that."

"He _did_ use it to save her life, though. He seemed to transfer some of his energy into her, and it healed her almost immediately. It was just a few hours. It happened again just before we left - she had a hangover - don't ask why - and he healed her headache and all of the physical symptoms with just a kiss on her forehead."

"Wait a minute," she interrupted. "A demon that can _heal_?"

"He seems to believe it is an ability he can only use with his mate," she nodded.

"This is getting _really_ interesting," Rona mused. "Oh, how my nana would have _loved_ this."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Kyra skipped down the stairs, two suitcases held in her hands, and saw Sebastian was back. Her mother was handing him a thick envelope, which he accepted before turning to Kyra.

"Ah, Miss Kyra. I trust you are ready to return?" he asked, slipping the envelope into an inner pocket of his tailcoat.

"Yes," she nodded. "I have everything I need."

"Please, allow me," he offered, taking the suitcases from her hands. "I trust you will remember to keep these belongings in your personal closet when not in use?"

"Of course," Kyra nodded, walking over to her mother and hugging her tightly. "I love you so much. I'll come back as soon as I can, I promise."

"Okay, sweetie," Rona held her daughter tightly. "I love you, too. I'll miss you. _Stay safe_."

All too soon, the duo disappeared in a rush of darkness, leaving Rona alone in her home once again. Sylvanas eyed her as she walked into her living room and sat down heavily in a chair. She jumped onto her lap as Rona wrapped a throw tightly around herself, picked up her remote and turned on the T.V. She held down the microphone button as she pet the cat. With tears streaming down her face, she choked out,

" _ **Black Butler.**_ "


	17. Chapter Seventeen

_**Chapter Seventeen:**_

 _Doesn't Make It Right_

* * *

 _Raven groaned quietly, pulling the blanket_ over her head as her head pounded viciously. She laid there but a moment before she realised she had to get up. As she sat up, nausea set in, forcing her to quickly get out of bed and make a run for the bathroom. She stubbed her toe on her dressing table chair and cursed, tipped over the chair and muttered and cursed more to herself as she went and quickly bent over the toilet. Every time she vomited, her head would pound harder, making her dizzy, thus making her even more nauseous. She noticed Kyra coming in and holding her hair back.

After a few moments, it seemed to be abating and she sat back, panting, regret _deeply_ sinking in. Kyra ran off and quickly came back with a glass of water, which Raven gratefully accepted with a muttered "thank you." She rinsed her mouth a few times before speaking.

"I feel so drained and my head is pounding," she murmured and tentatively sipped the water.

"That's not surprising, especially after you vomited like that. You'd get a headache from that alone," Kyra replied, gently rubbing her back. Raven said nothing. "Do you want to go back in your room now?"

Slowly, the shorter girl nodded. Kyra wordlessly walked back into Raven's room with her and sat on her bed. Raven paused, staring at her bedside table. On the table rested a framed photo. She approached it and picked it up before sitting on her bed next to Kyra.

Raven stared blankly at the photo.

It was a photo of her, her mother, her father and her cat. It was beautifully framed, which it hadn't been before.

It seemed like a lifetime ago that that picture was taken. It was a _much_ simpler time, when her family was together and everything seemed perfect.

It was surreal.

At this point, Raven found herself doubting if it ever really happened - if her life had ever been so simple, so full of _promise_ , when now it was chaos and questionable.

But why was it here?

 _How_ it was there was obvious, but _why_?

Slowly, understanding sunk in as memories swirled in her mind of what happened last night.

 _She lobbed the book at him and it landed right smack in the middle of his smiling face._

" _You're all the same! Don't touch me!" she screamed, hitting him in the face with her book._

" _THIS IS FOR-!" she slapped him._

" _ **... Yes, my lady."**_

" _ **I yearn for your affection but I must be sure that you want to give it to me."**_

" _I thought you were supposed to be a demon."_

" _ **My dear... For you, an angel."**_

" _Someone has to stop him!"_

"... Oh."

"Oh?" Kyra tilted her head to the side with a raised eyebrow.

Raven looked up at Kyra. "This may not make sense, but... I actually feel guilty... for _not_ feeling guilty."

Kyra paused at that for a moment. "No, that actually does make sense."

"I mean... I _know_ I... _kind of_ gave him permission? I _kind_ of _told_ him to do that, but... I don't really feel _bad_ about it, not really, and I don't know _why_."

Kyra silently looked at her troubled friend. "That's normal. After what he did to you, that's completely normal."

"I..." Raven fell silent again, staring at the photo. ' _That doesn't make it right. I still should feel guilty. Someone_ _ **died**_ _because of me._ ' "He... He thought to bring this back to me?"

"Wouldn't be here if he didn't," Kyra replied.

Raven fell silent for another moment. "I suppose you heard and saw everything last night, then."

"Most of it, but not all," Kyra quietly answered. "I came in when you started screaming at him, and left when he starting carrying you back to your room."

"... Oh," Raven continued staring at the photo. "So you saw me hit him, then."

"A few times."

"Did you see me throw the book at his face?"

Kyra froze before bursting out in laughter. " _You threw the book at his face?!_ "

" _... And hit him with it a few times,_ " she muttered. ' _This isn't funny._ '

Kyra giggled before holding Raven in her arms. "Don't worry, he can take it."

Raven slowly shook her head. "That still _doesn't make it right_. Yeah, he's a demon. Yeah, I don't want to be in this situation. It still doesn't excuse my behaviour, especially when he has shown me nothing but kindness thus far. I owe him more than an apology. I just want to go back to my normal self. I don't like myself right now." She wearily looked over to Kyra. "Do you not find it ironic that the one being cruel and violent is the human, and the one showing understanding and kindness the demon?"

"About that," Kyra chuckled wryly. "You know how you've been always saying how you don't _trust_ him, you're _afraid_ of him?" When Raven nodded, she continued. "Ah... When he was carrying you up the stairs and you were beating the shit out of him, he was in his true form. He _had_ been since you said 'this is for' the... _latest_ thing Tyson had done. While you were _hitting_ him, he was wiping the tears from your face and stroking your hair, saying, ' _Yes, my lady_.' Even _fully_ transformed and bleeding, he did _nothing_ but care for you."

Raven blinked in surprise. "He was transformed? But I didn't notice him transform. I made him _bleed_?" Raven quietly groaned.

"You were drunk and more than a bit emotional," Kyra replied.

 _He cradled her in his arms, wiping away her tears as she cried, leaning against him. His enormous wings encircled her, giving her a feeling of safety._

Raven gasped.

When Raven said nothing, merely sitting there with wide eyes, Kyra spoke. "I take it you remembered something?"

"His wings were so _beautiful_ ," she whispered. "I never felt that safe with _anyone_."

" _Safe?!_ " Kyra questioned in bewilderment. "How could you feel _safe_ when you were beating him up like that?"

"I..." Raven paused, struggling for words. "I never felt safe enough to _let that out_."

"You felt safe enough to let all that out and beat him without fear of him retaliating and hitting you back," Kyra reiterated. "Does that not mean something to you?"

"..." Raven was silent for several long moments before muttering out a feeble excuse. "... I was drunk." ' _I am going to have to face it: my therapist was right. By keeping so much internalized and never talking to anyone but Kyra, it is too much. What am I going to do? There are no real psychiatrists here. I am going to have to do this on my own now!_ '

Kyra nodded, satisfied. They sat in silence for a few more moments before the blonde spoke up again. "Just a forewarning, the tailor will be coming in the afternoon again for a fitting."

' _Nina!_ ' Raven smiled gently. "Oh, it'll be nice to see her again. Hopefully, my headache will be gone by then."

"Well, try to eat something. Mey-Rin left a platter over there on the table. Do you want anything warm to drink?" Kyra offered.

"I should be fine with just water to drink, thank you," Raven replied. She wasn't sure if she should be having much more than water.

The girls' attention was grabbed by a knock on the door. "My ladies, pardon the intrusion. Might I enter for just a moment?"

 _Shit._ It was Sebastian.

"Y-yes, do come in," Raven stammered, standing and staring down at her feet. Kyra followed suit as the door opened and he entered. "M-mister Sebastian, regarding last night-"

"My lady," he smoothly interrupted, stepping forward and placing a hand on the back of her head. "Please, allow me." Sebastian leaned down, his hands moving to either side of her face. Gently, he kissed her forehead, a warm feeling lingering after he moved back. "How do you feel now, my kitten?" he smiled.

Raven slowly blinked in confusion as the pain and nausea faded away. "My... headache is gone? Physically, I'm fine?"

"Whooaaaa," Kyra drawled, "the man kissed your owie and made you all better!"

"Kyra!" Raven squeaked.

"What?! It just happened!" Kyra laughed.

"S-S-Sebastian-" Raven began again. She absolutely needed to apologise!

He held up a hand with a smile. "My lady. You just rest, eat and take care of yourself. We may talk later, when you have regained your strength." He turned to Kyra. "Miss Kyra, let me know when you are ready to depart."

' _Wait, what?_ ' Raven eyed the two questioningly as Kyra replied, "I am ready now."

"Splendid," Sebastian answered. He paused, looking over at Raven. "Ah, yes, I had almost forgotten. Here you are, my kitten," he smirked, handing her a bag. She instinctively accepted it and stared at it in horror. "Such a **handsome** bag. Do remember to keep your items in your closet when not in use. We shall not be gone too long."

He placed a hand on Kyra's shoulder, and a rush of darkness enveloped them as Raven screamed.

"YOU WENT THROUGH _MY THINGS!_ "

They were gone.

' _Oh my God, he did go through my things!_ ' her mind screamed in embarrassment as she dumped the contents of her backpack on her bed. ' _He saw MY SKETCHBOOK! Did he go through it and look at it?!_ ' She flipped through the pictures, wondering as she looked at each one if he had seen them. Especially the picture of him at the end...

' _He saw my posters!_ ' she thought in horrified embarrassment.

Her fan posters! He was going to think she _worshipped him!_

' _I am_ _ **so**_ _glad that I talked Kyra out of buying me that Sebastian body pillow!_ ' she thought, shaking her head in both horror and amusement. It was by pure luck that she had found out Kyra was planning to buy it for her for her birthday as a gag gift. The posters were one thing, but a _body pillow of him shirtless and his pants undone?_ Nope, nopity _nope-nope-nope_. She would _never_ be able to face him again.

She sighed. ' _I have to apologise no matter what anyone says, but how am I to face him after this? I am just going to have to pretend he didn't see anything at all._ '

She unzipped one of the pockets and found some of her school supplies. ' _Well, at least he didn't go through_ _ **everything**_ _, if these still being here are anything to go by,_ ' she sighed. ' _I beat this guy up, gave him permission to kill someone and I am worried over what he saw in my room. I need a shrink._ '

She unzipped another pocket and groaned. ' _Of course he left my phone in here. He definitely didn't go through_ _ **all**_ _of my things, so at least there's that._ '

She turned her phone off and put it back in the pocket before packing her art supplies all back up and putting her backpack in her closet.

Raven crawled back in her bed, under her blankets.

' _Fuck it all._ '

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

" _Raven, get up!_ " A voice whined as Raven felt something jabbing her in the butt over and over again, each time whining, "Get up! Get up! Get up!"

Raven growled, kicking in the general direction of the unwelcomed voice.

 _Thud._ "Oof!"

Raven rose, armed with a pillow, and launched it directly at the daring wakener.

The pillow's aim was true, and it struck the mark, hitting Kyra directly in her face.

"OKAY. I'm up. Happy?" Raven huffed.

Her friend laughed. "Wow, your aim has _really_ improved! Must be all that practice lately."

Raven glowered darkly at her friend.

"Too soon?" she grinned sheepishly.

" _Where did you go with him?_ " Raven demanded.

Kyra visibly flinched but smirked in amusement. "Are you... _jealous?_ I saw the way you were looking at him after he kissed your forehead! Those _shiny eyes!_ " she giggled.

Raven's arm darted out and picked up her augury. She held it up in a mock threat, putting on her best glare.

Kyra squealed and laughed, holding her arms up protectively. "Not in the mood for joking around today, are we?!"

The book remained ready. "So _answer_."

"I asked him for a favour. He took me to see my mom," Kyra shrugged.

The breath left Raven and she settled back down, put the book down and held her head in her hands. "You _idiot_. Please tell me you didn't actually ask it as a _favour_."

"Hey, only my mom can call me that!" Kyra exclaimed. "And she did. I already caught it from her!" She shuffled her feet a bit. "... Maybe I did. Why?" she said, slightly defensive.

"You asked a _fucking demon_ for a _favour_ ," Raven groaned. "What do you owe him, Kyra? What was the deal?"

Kyra sniffed indignantly. "I reminded him who my best friend is. Shouldn't that be enough to get me out of owing him?"

Raven laughed wryly. "And he probably didn't agree with that notion, did he? Now you don't know what he's going to ask of you, and he _will_ ask, and you _will_ have to do it."

"He better not, and no I won't!" Kyra huffed. "I don't think I _should_ owe him anything. If he's going to be your 'mate', doesn't that make him family? Demonic deals isn't how families work!"

Raven sighed. While Kyra did have a point, she doubted a demon like Sebastian would have the same... _views_. It _did_ give her an idea, though. "But why didn't you just ask me to ask him to take you? It doesn't sound like it, but it would have been _so_ much simpler."

"Well..." Kyra paused.

"You didn't even think of it, did you?" Raven sighed.

"... Meep?" Kyra flinched.

"Maybe I can still get you out of this, but I doubt it," she sighed again, holding her head in a hand again. "Damnit, Kyra."

"... Meep," Kyra whimpered. "I didn't mean to cause you so much stress."

"What do you expect when you _make a deal with a demon_?"

"But I didn't agree to _any_ _deal!_ " Kyra insisted.

"You _did_ the moment you asked him for a favour and let him fulfill his end. You _owe_ him now, whether or not you want to admit it! I bet he warned you, too!" Raven exclaimed, exasperated.

"Well, he did, once, but I didn't agree to it!"

"Doesn't matter! He still warned you!" Raven retorted. "He still warned you, he was _giving you a chance to get out of it_ and you still went with him, allowing him to fulfill his end of the bargain."

Kyra folded her arms across her chest. "Well, I'm not doing anything."

"Maybe he'll only ask something small and easy of you," Raven muttered. ' _But that's not how Sebastian seems to work. I really have to make some decisions,_ _ **now**_ _, before this gets any more out of hand._ '

"Ah... Nina is going to be here soon. We should probably get you dressed," Kyra said, changing the subject.

"Oh!" Raven perked up. "By the way, she's a total pervert and she likes girls with big boobs, like you. She groped Mey-Rin before."

Kyra burst out laughing. "She wouldn't dare."

Raven shrugged. "Well, she might, but she might just think she can get away with it with Mey-Rin because she's a servant."

Kyra tossed Raven's under petticoat over and Raven put it on as Kyra got her other stuff ready.

Kyra smirked, holding up the corset. "Time to give it the old college try!"

Raven paused. "You think we can do this together?"

"Well," Kyra chuckled, "we're about to find out!"

Raven felt a sense of dread wash over her as Kyra put her up against her bed, wrapped her corset around her and began lacing. "You really, _really_ should have come to me first. First of all, I would have really liked to have gone with you, even if we have to come back here after. I would have really liked to see your mother again, and..." She fell silent for a moment. "I promised Grace and Joseph I'd come see them after I turned 18."

Kyra froze. "I didn't know. I'm so sorry, I didn't know."

"And _second_ of all, I don't think he'd really ask anything of me like he would you, because I'm his mate."

"Wanna make a bet?" Kyra scoffed, continuing to lace up the corset.

Raven huffed. "Sure."

"Alright. Next time you two talk, ask him to take you to see Grace and Joe. See what happens. If he takes you, no questions asked? You win. But if he asks you for _anything_ , even something _small_ , I win."

Raven pursed her lips. "What's the loser have to do?"

"Do something silly that the winner asks," Kyra smirked.

"You're on," Raven nodded, and Kyra slammed her foot on the bedpost and tugged the corset tight.

Raven screamed.

" _IT'S TOO TIGHT!_ _It's hard to breathe!_ " she wheezed.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Sebastian was busy cleaning some silverware, meticulously as always, when his eyebrow twitched as he heard his mate suddenly scream in pain.

" _IT'S TOO TIGHT!_ _It's hard to breathe!_ " she wheezed.

He quickly turned to Mey-Rin, who was sweeping the room. "Mey-Rin, hurry up to the ladies! I believe they need your help, _right now!_ "

"What?" she looked up in surprise.

"Just go to Lady Raven's room right now," he ordered.

"Yes, sir!" she scampered away.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

" _Kyraaaa!_ " Raven wailed. " _Owww!_ You made it _tighter!_ "

"I'M SO SORRY! I'M TRYING TO LOOSEN IT!" Kyra wailed in return. "These contraptions are _weird!_ "

There was a frantic knock at the door. "My ladies, are you in need of assistance?" A concerned voice called.

"THANK GOD FOR MEY-RIN! HELP!" Kyra shouted and Raven wheezed. The door burst open and a breathless Mey-Rin rushed in, the door swinging shut behind her.

"What in the world is going on?!" She exclaimed, analysing the situation. "Oh, Miss Raven, you poor thing! I can fix this!"

And she did, very quickly loosening the lacing, much to Raven's relief.

"How did you know we needed help?" Kyra asked, curious, after Raven had effectively been saved.

"She probably heard me _scream_ ," Raven rolled her eyes.

"Ah, actually, Mister Sebastian sent me up. He said he believed you needed help, yes he did," Mey-Rin chuckled, properly lacing up the corset. "He has a good sense on these things, yes he does, and he is never wrong."

The two girls exchanged knowing glances.

"It seems as though his butler senses were tingling," Kyra giggled. Raven once again rolled her eyes.

"Oh, yes," Mey-Rin piped up after a few moments. "I believe you will have time to have something to eat before Miss Nina arrives, m'ladies," she suggested.

"Oh, yes," Raven smiled as Mey-Rin helped her into her dress and sat her down at her dressing table.

"Would you like to take your tea in your room today?"

"Yes, please," Raven nodded. After Mey-Rin had worked her magic on her hair and make-up, Raven smiled at her. "Thank you as always, Mey-Rin."

"Of course, m'lady," Mey-Rin bowed and excused herself, promising that tea would be sent up shortly. As she was about to go down the stairs, Sebastian was walking _up_ the stairs with the girls' tea. She giggled as Sebastian set the trolley down in front of her. "Goodness, your butler senses _are_ tingling, yes they are!"

"How fares the young ladies, Mey-Rin?" he inquired.

"Oh, they're quite alright now, Mister Sebastian. Everything's in order!" she beamed. "Miss Raven also seems to be feeling much better now."

He smiled. "I am glad to hear that. Please do carry on and bring them their tea, then."

"Of course, sir," she bowed and did.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Nina Hopkins came in with a flare, as per usual. To Kyra and Raven's relief, she still did not attempt to grope them. Kyra also spoke with her about an idea she had to go with her costume for All Hallow's Eve. Nina thought it was absolutely brilliant. The fitting went rather well, and Nina seemed rather satisfied with how her work was progressing. The girls were very happy that Nina had a few outfits that she was able to make only minor alterations to, and could actually leave them there with them.

Soon after Nina left, the girls found themselves walking in the garden together.

"I was thinking, Kyra, do you remember those spider sugar cookies we made with your mom? How about we make a bunch of those for the Halloween party for the children?" Raven said excitedly.

Kyra's eyes lit up. "That's a great idea! But the ovens from this time are probably... bleck."

Raven shrugged. "I will ask Sebastian for help. We have to learn how to use them if we are going to cook _at all_ , and I do not know about you, but I do _not_ want to live on Victorian food for the rest of my life. It's... rather bland."

Kyra mockingly shook her head. "Can't have Raven without her burgers, pizza and pasta."

The shorter girl groaned. "Thanks a lot. Now, I'm _really_ hungry. _Pizzaaaaaa_!"

"We'll have to talk to Sebastian," Kyra giggled.

Raven sighed. "Yes, I genuinely need to apologise to him for last night."

"But he said-" Kyra began.

"- I don't care _what_ he said; I owe him a sincere apology," Raven interrupted. ' _And so much more._ _Aha! I know what to do about Sebastian and the "debt" to Kyra... I think?_ '

"Alright," Kyra nodded, then scowled, slapping at her arm. "Damnit! Freaking mosquito. Freaking insects and bugs are the only bad part about being outside."

"For me, it is not just that," Raven pouted. "I burn really easily. I am glad it's nice and cloudy today."

Kyra glared at a mosquito, glowering darkly at it after it circled widely around Raven and flew at her. She swatted at it and growled, "Why are they avoiding _you_ and coming at _me_?"

Raven shrugged. "I guess they just like you."

"Well, I wish they didn't," Kyra pouted. "Well, at least it isn't raining today."

As they walked back to their room, they mused that a patio table with chairs and an umbrella would be nice.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Raven wrung her hands nervously. She and Sebastian were sitting across from each other in silence in the library after dinner once again.

' _How does one apologise for throwing a book at another, repeatedly hitting one with said book, then beating the shit out of them for things they didn't do?_ ' she thought to herself. "Sebastian, I'm really, really sorry," she blurted. "I had no right to treat you like that and I have no excuse for my actions. I can only say that I am very sorry for what I have done and I assure you it will _never_ happen again."

"Of course, my dear, but if you _do_ ever feel the need," his eyes twinkled in amusement, "I am here for you."

She glared. "Don't tempt me, smart aleck." She sighed. "I don't know if you will understand this, but I am going to try to explain something to you. As you obviously already know, I have been abused quite a bit since my mother died. I was seeking help from a professional that deals with mental health; I don't think that field has really gotten far in this timeline. I will be strictly following his orders now and will continue to work on my problems. I held everything inside, all of my feelings. The result of that was my exploding and abusing you. Again, I am so sorry. We may talk about this again at a later time, if things go as I hope. Is that acceptable to you?"

"Of course, my lady," he replied.

"There is something I would like to ask you if you don't mind."

"Of course, my lady," he repeated.

"What exactly is the difference between me making you mine and you making me yours?"

He raised an eyebrow. He found it odd she even needed to ask. "It is all perspective. If you make me yours, you set the rules. If I make you mine, I set the rules. In the end, we are still together. It just defines _how_ we are together."

"Yeah, that's what I thought," she murmured. "Why can't we just make the rules together?" she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Ooh," he cooed, tapping his fingertips together. "What a _fascinating_ idea."

She eyed the look on his face with distrust. "Fucking demon, why would I ask that? Bad idea. I make you mine."

He pouted. "But that sounded like it would be quite enjoyable."

"Yes, I believe it would be, for _you_ , and perhaps in the future, we can do that, but not now, and I am even more in doubt of your decision-making capabilities than mine after last night. I'm not going to play those head games with you," she glared. "I find it _fascinating_ how you thought I was too inebriated to make the decision to _kiss_ you, but not to make the decision whether or not someone should _die_."

"Again, it is a matter of perspective. One is important to me, and one is not," he replied. "Your decision of whether or not to give your affection to me is of _utmost_ importance and must be done without anything clouding your judgement. A life such as a man of Tyson's ilk is of no importance."

"Your priorities are not in order," she stated.

"On this matter, we will have to disagree," he responded. "Regardless of whether or not you had asked, I would have killed him. It was only made more enjoyable when I knew that you wanted him stopped."

Sensing this was a lost cause, she changed the subject. " _You made a deal with my sister._ "

At her tone, he perked up in interest and slight alarm.

"I am going to make myself _perfectly_ clear. _I will have none of this._ When Kyra _and/or I_ ask for a favour, it is not a favour the way _you_ are looking at it _._ In this matter, to be quite frank, _I do not care what you are_. If you want to be part of _our_ family, _you must look at us as family._

"We do things for each other - _that's just what we do_ \- without _any_ expectations from one another. _We take care of one another because we love one another._ No one _owes_ anything to anyone.

"I will not tolerate any of these bullshit demonic games between you and Kyra or you and myself - or even you and her mother, for that matter - or _anyone else that I love_.

"You shall _never... physically_ or _emotionally_ or _psychologically - that means mentally -_ harm _any_ of those I love. I know this is all new to you, but I thought you understood human relationships more. You see, if you harm _them_ , it harms _me_. Whatever you do to them, you are doing it to me also; I will feel their pain because I love them. Do you understand what I am saying, Sebastian, or do you need more explanation?" she asked, sincerely wishing him to comprehend what she was saying.

He listened intently but was intrigued in the change in her attitude towards him. "Yes, my lady," he said quietly.

"That means that right now, Kyra owes you _nothing_ ," she stated.

"But, my lady, that agreement was made before we had this talk. Therefore, contractually-" he began.

"It doesn't matter," she interrupted quietly. "We are _family_ , and that _includes Kyra._ Do you understand? You _do_ want to be part of my family, am I right?"

He stared silently at her. ' _The way she is looking at me... It has changed. It is no longer in contempt or fear. She is looking at me as if I matter, as if she..._ cares _... for me?_ '

The two sat and stared at one another in a silent battle of wills. She lifted her chin in challenge. "I have done as you requested and made the decision to make you mine. You said you want me as a willing mate; is this what you really want? You said you did before. Make your decision of which is more important: a silly favour that Kyra would owe you or your relationship with me. You can not have both."

He stood and walked over to her, staring intently into her eyes.

Her expression was that of unwavering confidence.

He slowly got on a knee, took her hand in his and placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand. "As you wish, my lady, for I am yours."

She exhaled slowly. "Alright. Now that that is settled, I do have two small requests."

"What does my lady wish?" he asked, looking up at her.

"Well," she began, her eyes narrowing. "Since you and Kyra _randomly disappeared in a puff of darkness without even telling me where you were going or asking if I wanted to come_ , I am going to ask if you could please bring me there sometime in the next few days. I gave my word to two people very close and dear to my heart that I would see them again once I turned eighteen. They are like my second parents to me. They are _very_ good people." She shifted uncomfortably, looking down. "Again, this is only a request."

He did not miss the hurt and indignation in her voice when she spoke of how he and Kyra had simply disappeared to her realm without her. "I apologise. I see now that I was very thoughtless and did not consider if you would have any attachments to that realm. Any time you wish to go, please do not hesitate to ask me."

Her hand tightened, grasping onto his as if they were holding hands. "Thank you. I don't want to put you out; I do know that you have this Halloween party coming, and will be quite busy with the arrangements for that. How about we do it the day after?"

"Of course," he bowed his head once more. "May I ask for a small thing in return? It is merely something _very_ small."

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What is it, Sebastian?" _'Oh no, the bet…._ '

He smirked up at her, his eyes twinkling in mischievous delight. "I ask only for a kiss upon the cheek."

She internally groaned. ' _I lost the bet over a kiss on the cheek._ ' "Fine. I think I can handle that," she smiled. ' _I've been a total bitch to him since yesterday and he has been nothing but sweet. Who's the real demon?_ '

Sebastian trailed his thumb across her fingers. "What is your other request, kitten?"

"Can you please teach Kyra and I how to use the stove?" she smiled shyly. "We really want to make cookies for Halloween."

He blinked in surprise and stood quickly. "My lady, you and Miss Kyra do not need to cook. Ladies of your standing have cooks to do that, such as I."

"Well, I mean, _technically_ you're just the butler and _Bard_ is _supposed_ to be the cook, but... _nyegh_ ," she put her hands up and made a strange face. "Cooking and baking are actually quite enjoyable when you only do it when you _choose_ to do it and we feel like it. We want to make cookies for the Halloween party, for the children. I do understand that you are very busy, so if you can't, I completely understand. We don't want to get in the way of the preparation for the party and your duties, so please don't be hesitant to say no."

"My Lady," he smiled. "I thank you for your consideration. I assure you that it will be no imposition to aid you in your baking endeavors. I will gladly assist you and Miss Kyra." She quietly squealed and gently clapped her hands together, much to his delight. "May I ask what type of cookies you intend to make?"

"Sugar cookies with chocolate spiders on top," she stated.

"Oh, that does sound rather interesting," he replied, tilting his head to the side.

She explained to him how the cookies were intended to be made and he assured her that the Phantomhive kitchen had all of the ingredients on hand.

"Sebastian, thank you. We have to talk some more about this whole thing, but thank you for your understanding and making this easier." Raven gently hugged him. His eyes widened in surprise before he softly smiled and gently returned the embrace.

Finished with their conversation, Sebastian led her to where Kyra was: a sitting room which overlooked the garden.

Kyra was sitting backwards on a chair, her knees on the seat and her head resting on her arms on the back of the chair, staring forlornly at the falling rain. "Is this all it does here? Rain?" she asked after she heard the door open.

"Over half the time this time of year, yes, I am afraid so," Sebastian replied, holding the door for Raven. He excused himself and left.

Raven walked over to Kyra, looking out the window with her. "I lost the bet," she begrudgingly admitted, giggling. She quietly added, " _Over a kiss on the cheek._ "

Kyra snorted a laugh. "Knew you'd lose, but thought it would be something... bigger?"

"It's kind of cute." Raven smiled and rolled her eyes, amused. "I fixed your problem, too. You're welcome."

"Thanks."


	18. Chapter Eighteen

_**Chapter Eighteen:**_ _ **  
**_ _This Is Halloween_

* * *

 _Raven woke to the sounds of the staff_ bustling about the manor, cleaning and putting up some of the decorations for the All Hallows Eve holiday and party. She walked over to Kyra's door and knocked. Kyra didn't answer. Raven opened the door, quietly in case Kyra was still sleeping, to find her bed made and Kyra nowhere to be seen. She went back to her room to get dressed. Today she would wear one of the new ensembles that Nina had brought with her the day before. ' _No corset required! This is a reason in itself for celebration!_ ' she thought as she took it out of the closet. She got dressed and went downstairs to look for her friend, but found Mey-Rin instead.

"Good morning, Mey-Rin. Have you seen Miss Kyra?" she inquired.

"Why yes, Miss, she is out in the garden. It is quite a nice day for this time of year. You can go find her and I will bring your morning tea out to you," Mey-Rin cheerfully replied.

Raven went through the french doors to the garden and discovered it was warmer than she had anticipated outside. She walked off to the area that Kyra normally would be running and found her sitting in a _beautiful, huge gazebo!_

Raven walked up the few stairs, opened the screen door and found Kyra sitting on a beautiful wicker love seat with cushions. A table was surrounded by chairs and a kettle fireplace for warmth in the chillier months and, _oh!_ There was yet another chaise lounge!

It was so beautiful!

"Can you _believe_ this, Raven? I absolutely _love_ this! I could _live_ out here!" Kyra gushed.

"I'm almost speechless. This is so nice! I never would have ever expected such a perfect place. I can come out here and read now, too. No bugs, no sunburn and all the fresh air," Raven gushed in awe as she ran her hand over the top of the chaise lounge. "I never even dreamed of something like this."

Kyra nodded in agreement. "Maybe you should beat the shit out of him more often," she joked.

Raven sent her a look of disapproval. "What I did was completely unacceptable. Domestic abuse is _never_ okay. Please stop joking about it. I am _so_ ashamed of myself for that."

Kyra nodded. "I'm sorry. You know that wasn't the real you doing that. Doctor-"

"- Yes, it _was_ ," Raven interrupted. "There are no excuses. Drunk, PTSD attack, _it doesn't matter_. I should have been working harder on this to begin with and I will not shirk the responsibility for my actions. You know I wasn't listening to my therapist like I should have been; well, now I have no choice. I have to do everything like he told me to. There are no psychiatrists here to help me. It can't happen again." Raven glanced around once more. "I can't believe he did this for us after I did that to him."

"I can," Kyra responded, leaning back into her seat. "These cushions are _so_ fluffy and comfortable!"

"Well," Raven pursed her lips. "At least now we know that he _can_ hear us pretty much anywhere if he is paying attention."

The girls stared at each other before smirking and calling out in unison, "Thank you, Sebastian!"

Raven coughed, covering her mouth with a fist. "Though he wasn't supposed to do that. That's rather out of character for him."

"What do you mean?" Kyra raised a brow.

Raven shook her head in disbelief. "Oh, Ciel is going to be _mad_. He specifically told Sebastian not to do things like this."

"What, he doesn't like gazebos?" Kyra rolled her eyes.

"It's not _that_ ," Raven replied, "it's _how it got here_."

"Oh," Kyra blinked. "Wait. He has a demon that can magically poof things out of thin air and he _doesn't_ want him doing that? _Why_ would you _not_ take advantage of that?"

Raven groaned, holding her palm to her forehead. "Maybe because you don't want to be accused of being a witch like us, or for anyone to find out what he _is?_ "

"Oh... uh, yeah, that's right," she muttered.

"Yeah. It's kinda weird to have a feast poof from nowhere, or a burned down manor suddenly looking brand new overnight, or a _huge_ gazebo being built overnight. People notice things," Raven stated, "and they _do_ have employees. Employees who, granted, would never talk, but why take the chance?"

"Yeah," Kyra nodded, "but I'm glad he did it, anyway. It's a nice gazebo."

Raven grinned and shrugged. "Yeah, me too. It's a really nice gazebo."

"And we hear a voice echoing ominously from the Master's chamber..." Kyra began dramatically, adopting a rather dramatic angry face and covering her right eye with her hand and using a rather horrid British accent. "'God... _damn it_ , Sebastian! What have I told you about using your magical powers to poof things into existence?!'"

Raven scoffed, "He would _never_ say that. It would go more like _this_." Raven covered her right eye and adopted a rather horrendous British accent and a dramatic, angry face. "' _Bloody Hell, Sebastian! What_ did I _tell_ you about doing things like that? It is _quite_ obvious that was not there yesterday; did you think none of the servants would _notice_ that? _Damned demon!_ '"

"'Fucking demon' sounds so much better," Kyra commented.

"It does, doesn't it?" Raven agreed and both girls laughed.

"Ah, breakfast has arrived," Kyra announced.

Mey-Rin was pushing her little food trolley down the brick pathway to the gazebo. Hearing the two girls' laughter brought a smile to her face.

"Here we are, my ladies, morning tea. I will just set it here on the table and be off," Mey-Rin said as she set out the food and drinks. "Would you be needing anything else?"

"Oh, no, Mey-Rin, thank you very much," Kyra said as she sat down to eat.

After Mey-Rin was out of earshot, Kyra asked Raven, "So, how did you get Sebastian to drop the 'me owing him' thing?"

"I just explained how families work, how we do things for one another because we care for one another," Raven said as she spread jam on her toast.

"Oh, sure, _that's_ going to work," Kyra sarcastically replied.

"Wow, and I thought you were on _his_ side!" Raven chuckled. "When he kissed me on the forehead, I had a moment of clarity right then and there. It was like the hangover left but I saw clearly what I need to do, not only with this thing with Sebastian but for myself. I had been laying in bed thinking about everything and all the fog just seemed to lift and I had a great idea. But we will see how this works out; I just am putting it into motion now." Raven looked over at Kyra, very pleased with herself.

"Well, I don't want to rain on your parade, but I don't see how just talking to him will work." Kyra frowned, disappointed.

"Oh, and I made him mine. I told him," Raven added.

Kyra's eyebrows shot up and her eyes widened. "Oh, _that_ is how you did it! So you _did_ order him! Good for you!" she said. "I am proud you finally made that decision - and surprised."

"Well," she hesitated. "It wasn't necessarily an order but more of an ultimatum, if I am completely honest. I explained how families work and told him if he wanted to belong to my family how it will be," she replied. "He agreed - at least, he seemed to - for now. We will see; it is still a work in progress." She stared down at her tea, idly stirring it. "It will take a considerable amount of time to see if what I am thinking will work. Talking to him is good, though he is not what I thought he would be like." ' _He seems interested in what I say and thinks about things for a while before replying. He listens very closely,_ ' Raven thought. ' _I like that._ '

"Well, I am not sold, but it is _your_ relationship. Mey-Rin said he would come out here and get us when he is done with his morning duties to start lessons on how to use their stove, so I guess _that_ went well at least," Kyra said as she finished pushing the last of her scrambled eggs onto her toast.

"Great! I am looking forward to that. I am really looking forward to evenings out here with that fire going, looking up at the stars. I am still in awe of this," Raven said rather wistfully.

"It is pretty cool, isn't it?" Kyra grinned.

The girls soon finished their breakfast and it began to lightly rain. Bored and not wanting to travel through the rain should it become heavier, Kyra dragged Raven off into the manor to wander around.

"This house is so huge!" Kyra exclaimed to Raven.

"Yes, it is. I knew it was big but never really realized _how_ big!" Raven agreed.

"Ooooh!" gasped Kyra as she looked into a room just up ahead. She skittered into the room and Raven soon heard the tinkling of a piano. Raven walked quickly into the room. Raven looked around curiously at what was clearly the music room.

Various musical instruments were neatly placed around the spacious room, the beautiful piano the beaming Kyra was seated at being only one of many instruments.

"Um, Kyra, shouldn't we ask first?" Raven hesitantly asked.

"I don't think it is necessary; both Ciel and Sebastian said to make ourselves at home, didn't they?" Kyra half-heartedly answered as she began playing. She stopped playing suddenly and looked at Raven with a sly grin.

Familiar chords began playing.

"That is _really_ not fair," Raven said with a laugh.

"Is it getting you in the mood?" Kyra asked, pausing for a moment.

"Oh, yes, it is! But I am always in the mood for Halloween," Raven grinned goofily.

"Fine. I will begin again and I expect singing to commence!" Kyra ordered. Kyra began pounding the piano with the beginning chords and quietly insisted, "Get ready!"

Raven nodded and giggled, cleared her throat and began.

" _Boys and girls of every age, wouldn't you like to see something strange? Come with us and you will see, this our town of Halloween!_ "

Then, as if this were rehearsed, Kyra joined in on the first chorus. " _This is Halloween! This is Halloween! Pumpkins scream in the dead of night! This is Halloween, everybody make a scene! Trick or treat till the neighbours gonna die of fright. It's our town! Everybody scream! In this town of Halloween..._ "

Raven began dancing about and sang as if she were in a musical, entertaining an invisible crowd. Kyra sang along, enjoying this time, watching her friend dance and sing. ' _She is so relaxed. I haven't seen her enjoy herself like this in years._ '

The girls took turns singing different parts as they used to do in Kyra's house. It came as naturally as breathing; both girls thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Finnian stared at the garden in horror, his mouth hanging open in shock.

 _How had this happened?!_

None of the servants had heard that happen, and it _certainly_ wasn't like that just yesterday evening!

The young gardener immediately set off to go find Sebastian, calling for him as he did. He found the butler in the kitchen preparing to help the ladies.

"Mister Sebastian!" he cried. "It's horrible! The garden is in ruins!"

The butler merely hummed in reply, otherwise completely ignoring him. The gardener took this as an urge to continue and did.

"It's very odd! I can only describe it as... as though perhaps a garden hoe was pushed through the dirt very deep, but I didn't do that, and it was in perfect shape just last evening!" he rambled. "What will we _do_ , Mister Sebastian?!"

The butler continued wiping down the counter. After a moment, he frowned and hummed thoughtfully.

Finnian tearfully awaited his orders.

Sebastian glanced around the kitchen, looking for anything else that needed to be cleaned.

"Mister Sebastian?" Finnian sniffed.

The raven-haired butler began assembling all the tools needed to make the sugar cookies: the bowl, large spoons and measuring cups to name a few, and he placed them on the counter.

"Mister Sebastian?!" Finnian wailed. "What are we going to do?!"

Finnian stared in disbelief at the butler as he once more turned his back and began doing something else. Never had Sebastian ever ignored him like this! What in the world had gotten into him?!

He looked down at himself in confusion. Had he turned invisible? Perhaps he was a ghost? He lightly tapped his arm. Well, he seemed to still be solid!

"Mister Sebastian..." he said quietly, yet firmly.

He was ignored once more.

" _MISTER SEBASTIAN!_ " He yelled, jumping up and waving his arms about madly, frustrated tears streaming from his face as he hollered at the butler. " _STOP IGNORING ME!_ "

Sebastian froze, his back straightening. He stiffly turned around, eyeing the gardener with distaste. "Ah, good morning, Finnian. Were you speaking to me?"

The gardener sagged with relief, staring rather exasperatedly at the butler, breathing hard, rather out of breath. "Yes! What do you want me to do?!"

The butler blinked. "About what?"

The gardener fell over in exasperation.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Finnian had not closed his mouth since they had left the kitchen, Sebastian noted with a sigh. He idly wondered how the human managed to breathe when he rambled so incessantly.

"Here, Mister Sebastian! Look, look!" he exclaimed, pointing at the strange marks carved into the ground. "Have you ever seen anything like it?! I haven't!"

The butler curiously eyed the ground, humming. "How peculiar."

As he trailed his eyes across what could only be described as _skid marks of the supernatural variety_ , he tensed as he noticed a little something that _should not be there_ at the end of these strange marks.

He tightened his gloves, his eyes narrowed. "I will take care of this myself. Go tend to the plants in the greenhouse, Finnian."

The boy's back straightened and he saluted the butler. "Yes, sir!" he nodded, running off to do as he was told.

Slowly, the demon walked along the side of the marks, stopping before the _little something_ he had noticed not a moment before. ' _Something's not quite right..._ ' he thought, scowling. He knelt down and picked it up, twirling it a bit and carefully scrutinizing it, his eyes a burning fuschia. With a scowl, he placed it in an inner pocket of his tailcoat for later, _closer_ inspection and returned to his duties.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

"Ooh, these came out beautifully, Kyra! A tiny bit darker than I like them, but so close!" Raven exclaimed, breathing in the luscious cookie-scented air, peeking from behind Sebastian as he removed the tray from the oven.

Kyra giggled. "I mean, they're pretty damn awesome when they're nice and dark. I like them better that way - as long as they're not burnt!"

Raven grinned at her friend teasingly. "You like _everything_ cooked a bit darker."

"This is true." Kyra shrugged. "Okay," she nodded, clasping her hands together as she eyed the tray of cookies Sebastian set on a trivet. "Now, we have to let them cool off completely so that the chocolate doesn't melt as we decorate them. We already have chocolate covered almonds for the body so all that needs to be done is tempering some chocolate to pipe the legs. Now for the head!" she beamed and slowly froze, twitching as realisation dawned on her. "You don't have M&M's in this era, do you...?"

"Might I suggest these?" Sebastian replied with a smirk as he placed a large dish of M&M-like candy in front of Kyra. He looked rather smug.

Raven had to suppress an eye-roll. He was _definitely_ going to take advantage of _anything_ she told him from the future. She had to be more careful.

"Yay, M&M's!" Kyra cheered, taking a few and tossing them in her mouth.

Her lips turned down in a grimace as she chewed and choked them down.

"Not M&M's. Definitely... _not_ M&M's," she muttered. "Those are _gross_."

Raven burst out laughing. "He didn't _say_ they were M&M's! This is _British_ chocolate, not _American_ chocolate!"

"Where even _is_ the chocolate?!" Kyra demanded. "It tasted like a chunk of sugar with a _hint_ of chocolate. The sugar coating is overpowering the chocolate!"

"Is that so?" he pouted, his head tilting to the side. "The young master thought they were quite good."

The blonde stared at him with a deadpan. "The 'young master' never had M&M's."

Raven snickered again. "Okay, okay, you two. They can't be _that_ bad."

She plucked a few from the bowl and popped them in her mouth.

Her lips turned down in a grimace as she chewed and choked them down.

Kyra burst out laughing. "See?!"

"Thank you but I think we'll use the raisins we discussed earlier," Raven said politely as she gulped down some water.

Sebastian frowned a bit. "May I ask what you disliked about them so much?"

"Okay," Kyra whirled to face him, "the sugar is rather chalky and the sweetness of it is overpowering. Because of that, the chocolate flavouring is lost and hard to find. The chocolate also needs to be a bit more milky, or... creamy. Overall, the texture isn't right for the cookies. It is no big deal; we can use raisins."

Sebastian hummed, a finger on his chin as he thought. "Could you please describe more clearly what exactly these M&M's are?"

"No!" Raven huffed. "We'll just use the raisins! Please stop trying to use our knowledge of the future to make Ciel even richer than he already is!" He opened his mouth to protest. "Shush! I don't want to hear it! I already see what you are doing!" His mouth closed.

Kyra held back giggles as she chopped up some of the milk chocolate bars evenly to place in the double boiler to melt it down for the legs. "Sebastian, sorry to interrupt your little lover's squabble, but could I have a piping bag for when this is ready?" she asked, smirking.

Raven gave her a look. "Your turn _will_ come and I will take _full_ advantage of it when it does."

Kyra laughed and rolled her eyes. "Don't hold your breath. I'm too independent for a man of this era to handle."

"Indeed. Here you are, Miss Kyra," Sebastian said, handing her a piping bag.

Kyra snickered at his agreement. ' _Damn straight._ '

After checking the first batch of cookies they had taken out of the oven and finding they were properly cooled off, they decided to start assembling them. After melting down the chocolate and putting it in the piping bag, they set to work.

Sebastian was on "keeping-chocolate-hot" duty, by decree of Kyra. Kyra herself had the piping bag and made the legs of the spider. Raven used the warm chocolate to glue the almond and raisin on for the body and head of the spider. The cookies were looking better than planned. Kyra mused that they looked _fabulous_.

As they worked, Sebastian eyed his mate. She faced the table, carefully dipping the chocolate covered almonds and chocolate covered raisins in the warm chocolate and letting the excess chocolate drip off before placing them on the sugar cookies.

His mind drifted to the small item which rested safely in the closet for the time being. Ah, yes, the item he had found in the box that fateful night...

He imagined his lovely kitten cuddling it at night as she fell asleep. He imagined her clutching it close to her. Perhaps, when she was younger, she was afraid of thunderstorms and would clutch it closely to make her feel safe...

Ah, how jealous he was of it.

Soon, all of the cookies had cooled from the oven and been decorated. Sebastian set them aside in a cool, closed off area to let the chocolate set.

He froze in his tracks when he came back to the kitchen, where he had left the girls.

"My ladies, _what_ are you _doing?_ "

The girls paused, turning to stare at him with raised brows.

"Washing the dishes," Kyra stated, placing the last dish in the dish drain.

"Wiping down the counters," Raven stated, doing one last swipe before putting the cloth in the bin. "I mean tables."

"That is _my_ job. Ladies of your status should not be cleaning!" he replied, looking mildly horrified.

"Well, cooking isn't 'becoming' of ladies of 'our status' either, according to you," Raven replied, amused at his discomfort. Kyra snickered. "We made a mess. We cleaned it up." Kyra nodded in agreement.

He sighed in exasperation and tilted his head in his hand.

Kyra perked up. " _Mister_ Sebastian," she grinned, "you have some chocolate on your glove there."

Sebastian looked at his glove, and yes there was a very small dollop of chocolate on it. "Ah, yes, I do. Thank you, Miss Kyra," he said as he turned away from them, pulling a clean pair out of his pocket. As he put his second glove on, he recalled the poster and the image on Raven's backpack and decided to tighten his glove in that pose for her. He looked directly at his kitten and struck the pose, his teeth on the wrists edge of the glove, pulling it on with a smirk.

Raven looked at Sebastian and whirled away. "Oh my God, he is making fun of me!" she whispered in horror, holding her head in her hands.

Kyra stared at him with a rather serious expression, her mouth slightly open and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and disbelief. ' _What the fuck are you_ _ **doing**_ _?_ ' she wondered. She felt an urge to laugh but also an urge to simply ask the burning question. She opted to remain silent.

"I think we should go freshen up now." Raven grabbed Kyra by her sleeve near her elbow. "Thank you for your... er, time and help, Sebastian," Raven said, quickly walking out of the room, dragging Kyra along.

Kyra waved frantically at Sebastian as they passed. "Bye~!" she trilled.

Sebastian stared silently after them, slowly relaxing his arms. ' _She clearly had posters of my image in this pose. How is that making fun of her?_ ' he thought. ' _Did I do it wrong? Perhaps I should try the other pose next time?_ '

He hummed.

' _That did not work as intended._ '

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

"And the peacock spread his feathers and showed his colours to his mate... who simply walked away," Kyra spoke dramatically, waving a hand in the air as they approached the stairway.

Raven twitched. "WHAT?!"

"Oh, come on. You can _not_ tell me that you didn't notice that. He was _totally_ showing off to you and you just walked away," Kyra laughed.

"Is that what you think he was doing?" The shorter girl exclaimed, her eyes wide. "I thought he was making fun of me for the poster and my backpack!"

Kyra rolled her eyes. " _Why_ would Sebastian make fun of you?"

"... The posters and my backpack!" Raven replied, her eyes wide.

"Wait," Kyra said suddenly as it sunk in. "You still had those?! I mean, I knew you still had the backpack, but the posters?"

Raven fidgeted. "I mean, _you_ gave them to me, so it's not like I could just throw them away."

"Uh... Yeah, you could," Kyra blinked. "If you're tired of them, throw them away. People _do_ grow up. Raven... those are just things; our friendship is forever. The gifts I give are just little things that remind me of you at the moment. I would never be mad if you threw them away, I mean some of them are just gag gifts."

"Well, I didn't," Raven huffed. "And now he saw them and he's making fun of me."

"No, I don't think he is. I think he's trying to look cute for you like in the posters," Kyra replied. "He looked _really_ disappointed when you walked out of the room. You have to stop being so insecure. He has no reason to make fun of you."

Raven internally groaned. "I seriously think that would be a valid reason, but if you say so."

Kyra gripped her by the shoulder and leaned in close. "Dude, he's got the hots for you. He's not going to do that. That would have the opposite of the desired effect."

Raven's cheeks turned a bright red. "Kyra!"

Kyra laughed and released her. "You can't say I'm wrong because it's _so_ obvious that I'm not!"

Raven gritted her teeth for a moment. "I am going to take _full_ advantage when you get a boyfriend."

Kyra laughed, amused. "You can try."

The girls soon reached and entered their rooms. They freshened up a bit before meeting back in Raven's room, settling on the chairs.

"Kyra, we are going to have to watch what we say. I think Sebastian may actually be trying to have Ciel's candy factory 'invent' M&M's! Wouldn't that be terrible? Then the person who actually thought them up would not benefit from his own idea!" Raven said unhappily. "I don't know if I should bring this up with him or not but I don't think it is right. I only gave him a rough description when I described making the cookies when I was asking if anything like them was invented yet. I didn't think he would actually try to _replicate_ it!"

Kyra looked rather startled for a moment before answering. "Well, if you don't think it is right, just ask him if that is what he is up to and tell him how you feel. Ordering him to cut it out, if that is what he is up to, would be easier but he should know how you feel about it if it bothers you. He may have just been trying to make what you wanted but he already had Ciel taste them… so you may be on to something there." Kyra frowned. "You are right on this. I hadn't really thought about what would happen if he made them, so I am glad you did."

"Yes, that was what bothered me the most and has me concerned. Ciel already has taste tested the candies. So many weird things to be careful of so things don't get changed because of us." Raven frowned pensively, wringing her hands together. "I just brought it up because I wanted to make sure I wasn't overreacting just because of M&M's."

"Well, you've gotta figure," Kyra began, "if he and Ciel start selling candies that are _similar_ to M&M's, the _proper_ ones that we all love and adore might not ever get _invented_. Even if something similar does, it wouldn't be by the same person who _rightfully_ invented them - and then who's to say that that wouldn't change other things? Maybe some people met _because_ of something to do with that, or something like that. Just imagine the butterfly effect from _that_ one!"

Raven shivered. "I don't think I _want_ to. You're giving me a headache, Kyra. Stop it. This particular kind of deep thought has never been your thing and what you're saying is scaring me."

"See? I'm capable of it, too! I just don't usually like to follow it through." Kyra laughed at her friend's faux frightened face. "Anyway, I've been working on this thing for my costume while you've been reading and stuff. Do you mind painting it for me today?"

"Sure!" Raven nodded.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

That night, Sebastian stood silently in his room. He took the _little something_ from that afternoon out from his pocket.

The expression on his face darkened as he stared at it, twisting it this way and that, his eyes the colour of fuchsia as he examined it.

It didn't belong here.

There was absolutely no reason for it to have been there, in his young master's garden.

This had to mean something and yet he didn't know _what_.

But oh, he was going to.

He would find the answer as to _why_ this was dropped in his territory.

 _ **Why was this large, grey, tainted feather in his territory?**_


	19. 2017 Halloween Special

_**An All Hallow's Eve Special**_

 _Halloween Knockers_

* * *

The girls eyed the mirror with interest, Kyra and Sebastian with a critical eye. It was a beautiful full-length mirror, an antique at that, sent from a friend of Ciel's father. The moment it had been delivered, the both of them _knew_ something was off about it.

They just couldn't put their finger on _what._

The trio found themselves in the guest room the mirror had been placed in. Ciel himself had been given some school work to do by Sebastian and thus was holed up in his study, eating some cake as dessert after dinner.

Kyra stared intently, closely examining the mirror. "Does anyone else feel that? That strange vibration... coming from the glass, I believe?"

As she spoke, she hesitantly approached the mirror, holding out her hands as though attempting to feel for something. "Raven, come here and feel it. Tell me what you think."

The shorter girl cringed and approached. She slowly touched the glass with both hands, her head turned away and her eyes squeezed shut. Her face was contorted in distaste.

Sebastian stared with a raised eyebrow. "What on Earth are you two doing?"

"I don't know, Kyra. I just feel something... strange about it." Raven shuddered and remove her hands. She quickly stepped back from the mirror.

"Can you go into more detail?" Kyra pressed.

"It's repelling me; it makes my skin crawl." Raven crossed her arms and looked down, frowning.

"Good, good!" Kyra cheered, clapping her hands together. "Now you have to narrow it down. _What_ about it is making you feel that way? Is it just a feeling, are you hearing something or is it just the overall look?"

"It's just a feeling I'm getting from it. It makes me feel like I don't want to be near it." The girl sighed, slumping a bit.

"Oh, you are right! I also don't want to be near it; I am feeling a vibration of sorts. This is not a welcoming sort of feeling though I can't pin down what it is." She looked over at Sebastian, a very serious expression on her face. "This is not good; something is not quite right."

Sebastian hummed in agreement, still staring at the two girls, puzzled as to how they would know this. "Indeed, though might I inquire as to how you could possibly know and sense such a thing?"

"Eh." Kyra waved a hand dismissively. "It is not important." She and Raven turned and began walking out of the room. Once at the door, Kyra turned back once more and waved in the direction of the mirror. "I'm just saying, this thing could mean trouble."

As the door closed, his eyebrows were raised as he stared at the mirror. It was undeniable that _something_ was off about it.

"Well, possibly."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Come 3:00 AM, Kyra was still tossing and turning, unable to sleep. That damned mirror's humming was only growing louder and she idly wondered _how_ it was not bothering anyone else.

She finally couldn't take it anymore and got up, pacing around her room. It was simply making her too nervous to sleep.

A gasp tore out of her throat when a wave of energy suddenly washed over the house. With it this strong, it was painfully clear to her what this was.

' _Oh, no!_ '

Without hesitation, she went to her closet and snatched up the items her mother had pushed on her earlier before slamming open the door to Raven's room. She found her sitting upright in her bed, groggily rubbing her eyes.

" _What_ is going on? What _was_ that?"

Kyra shoved the gallon jug into her friend's arms. "Take this! It's a portal; we have to close it!"

"Can't Sebastian handle it?" Raven groaned, slowly tossing back her blankets.

"Can he? Are you sure? Has he done it before?" Kyra demanded, her eyes narrowed.

"How the Hell am I supposed to know?" The words came grumbled as she sleepily stood.

"Then let's go!" Kyra gently grabbed her by her upper arm and began leading her to the door.

They found Sebastian staring into the guest room with disgust. ' _It had to be ghosts. I despise ghosts._ '

Kyra and Raven peeked in the room.

"Oh, my God." Kyra took a step back, her eyes wide.

"What?" Raven looked at her two companions with widened eyes.

"There are so many..." her friend whispered.

The guest room was dark, lit only by the moonlight and the faint glow around the mirror. Dozens of spirits were casually walking out of the mirror, peering around curiously.

"Can you close the portal?" Kyra asked bluntly, her eyes not moving from the scene before them.

"I suppose I could break it," the butler replied, frowning.

"I'll purify it," Kyra huffed. "One does not simply break a portal. That doesn't always work. If you just do that, you could just have a _permanently open portal without a physical tie._ Then how are you going to cleanse it and get rid of it?"

She began walking forward, beckoning Raven to follow when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Do wait a moment, Miss Kyra. Allow me to send them back through before you close it."

She turned to look at him with an incredulous expression. " _Can_ you?"

His lips twitched. "I can try."

As his eyes changed, becoming catlike and fuschia, and he stepped into the room, a hand on the doorframe, she somewhat dreaded what she sensed he was about to do.

"My ladies, you may want to step back a bit."

Both girls cautiously stepped back as a dark power began pulsing, clearly aiming toward that room. Being so close, they both bore quite a bit of the brunt of the feeling of dread and power. Kyra tightly gripped Raven's arm as she began feeling faint. Her friend gently began leading her a bit away from the room and gasped when her friend fainted in her arms. She did her best to hold her up but it was for nought. Both girls fell to the floor instead of one, Raven pinned under her much taller friend.

Sebastian's aura was not flared for long and he glanced at the girls, mildly amused as Kyra quickly regained her consciousness and sat up.

"Oh my gosh!" she squeaked, moving off of her friend. "Are you okay, Raven? I'm so sorry!" She stood, then helped Raven up and made her way back to the doorway. Now feeling nauseous but able to handle it, she gazed into the room. The majority of the spirits had dashed back into the mirror and though there were some stragglers trying to fight it, they were heading to the mirror to leave. She picked up her fallen supplies and made her way into the room after Sebastian, Raven hesitantly trailing after them. "Okay, let's close this thing!"

Raven poured some of the water from the jug into a bowl and Kyra began dipping her fingertips in it, spraying it at the mirror as she began chanting. Raven followed, holding the bowl.

Soon, Kyra took out her sage sticks and lit one, whilst asking Raven for a feather. She began chanting as she waved the smoke all around the mirror. When she was done with the mirror, she continued to the rest of the room, cleansing it as well to be careful. The cloudy appearance to the mirror had dissipated as well as the feeling it had been emanating.

Sebastian watched this with a deadpan, mildly impressed (a human able to cleanse and close an active portal was indeed impressive and a useful ability) but mostly still annoyed at the situation. He was also curious as to what else he did not know about the girls.

He stopped her as she made to leave to her room. "What exactly are you, Miss Kyra?"

"Tired," she retorted and walked passed him.

"So we can go back to bed now?" Raven sighed.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

When the girls awoke and came down to breakfast, they were highly amused at the sight of an unamused and annoyed Sebastian - and Kyra amused by the sight of two ghostly old ladies trailing behind him wherever he walked.

One of the ladies was quite obviously older than the other and she seemed to be the one nagging Sebastian the most.

"Come now, boy, I know you recognise me! It's only been a few thousand years!" she exclaimed, tapping him on the shoulder. "Honestly, you've become so rude! You've been ignoring me _all night!_ You _could_ at least have the courtesy of answering my question!"

Kyra stifled a giggle as the lady continuously pestered Sebastian while the other seemed more interested in intently staring at Ciel, who was calmly and obliviously eating breakfast at the head of the table.

"Come now, young man!" The younger elderly woman demanded. "Leave my great grandson be!"

"This isn't like you at all!" The other piped in. "You used to be so nice!"

Kyra and Raven leaned together and began whispering.

" _Oh my gosh, that's his great-grandmother!_ " Kyra whispered.

" _I wonder who the other one is!_ " Raven replied. " _How does she know Sebastian?_ "

Sebastian twitched as Ciel side-eyed them.

"Oh, so the two of you can hear us!" the elder woman exclaimed. "Splendid! I did know Miss Blondie could, but Miss Shortie, too? Could you do me a favour and tell Mister Pretend Butler to stop ignoring us?"

Raven and Kyra choked on their drinks at their nicknames.

" _She called you Miss Shortie!_ " Kyra hissed, snickering, her face turning red from holding in the boisterous laughter just _waiting_ to erupt. This became only more difficult when she saw the insulted look on Raven's face. She turned away, only to see Sebastian attempting to hold a passive expression, his eyebrow twitching in annoyance.

Ciel stared at her expressionlessly, sipping his tea.

"Could you tell him to stay _away_ from my little boy?!" the younger shouted. "He's fragile!"

The girls exchanged glances. They didn't want to ignore the poor old ladies, but Ciel was sitting right there and Sebastian didn't seem like he would be acknowledging them anytime soon...

Kyra leaned over to Raven. "Should we go out to the gazebo?"

No sooner had she finished that question did a loud clap of thunder sound from outside.

Raven leaned over to Kyra. "I don't think so," she sarcastically whispered back.

"Yeah, I kinda got that!" Kyra snapped back, sighing.

Ciel raised an eyebrow at her outburst. "What are you two ladies bickering about over there?"

Raven sighed. "She asked if we should go out to the gazebo after breakfast."

His eyebrows pushed together in confusion. "What gazebo?"

The girls exchanged wide-eyed looks before looking at Sebastian for help.

He smiled politely. "We shall discuss that when we go back upstairs, young master."

"Now what on Earth is going on here?" the younger ghost pondered.

"I believe the little earl didn't know about the gazebo!" laughed the elder.

"No, really? I would never have guessed!" The younger rolled her eyes. "We've never had a gazebo here before! Certainly not when I checked in just last week!"

"Well, Mister Pretend Butler can certainly build one in moments; it truly wouldn't be very difficult for him."

"I believe the girls just got him in trouble! Serves him right! Hah!"

"Yes, I do believe that was some 'instant karma', as the younger lads like to say."

Raven slumped, bowing her head a bit. "Sorry," she muttered under her breath. "I thought you told him already."

"Me, too..." Kyra sighed.

Ciel stood. "I will finish my tea in my office. Have a good day, ladies. I do hope whatever is being muttered and giggled over is resolved by afternoon tea."

"That's my boy, so polite he is. That is a sure sign of good breeding," beamed the younger old lady.

"Sorry," the girls chorused. Ciel was soon gone after muttering to Sebastian that he expected him upstairs after the girls finished.

"Sebastian, why don't you just answer their questions? Perhaps they would leave if you gave them satisfactory answers?" Kyra inquired.

"If you ignore them long enough, they will leave. Talking to them only encourages them," Sebastian answered as he cleared Ciel's plates.

"Really, now?!" The eldest growled, stalking straight up to him. "Well, I'd like to see you ignore THIS!"

She bent over, grasping the bottom of her dress and straightened, pulling it up straight over her breasts.

"Aren't my knockers absolutely brilliant?! Pretty good for a two thousand three hundred and forty-six-year-old, eh?"

Kyra couldn't hold it in; she was absolutely _howling_ in laughter.

Raven froze for a few moments, her eyes widening when she realised what just happened. "I am so incredibly thankful I can not see them right now," she whispered.

"The knockers," Kyra wheezed, "the ghosts, or _both_?"

"Definitely both," Raven replied, squeezing her eyes shut.

Sebastian gained a rather disgusted look for just a split second, regained his composure and walked around her to continue with his duties.

"He is _good!_ ' Kyra giggled quietly.

"Of course!" Raven chuckled. "After all, he _is_ one _Hell_ of a butler."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Raven was on her own reading in the library. Sebastian came in and was doing some cleaning when some of the books started flying off the shelves at him. She glared at Sebastian as he skillfully caught each book and placed it back where it belonged.

"How long is this going to go on? You have to deal with this instead of ignoring it."

He opened his mouth to reply when the book Raven was holding was suddenly yanked _hard_.

"No, I'm reading this one!" Raven pulled back on the book, aggravated. It was tugged again, more insistently this time. "I said _I'm reading this one!_ Have you no manners?!"

The book was snatched out of her hands and sailed straight at the butler.

Her face quickly reddened in absolute _fury_.

She stood quickly, stalking in his direction as he caught it with ease and a sigh. He offered it back to her. She ignored it, merely giving him a death glare as she passed him and walked out of the room.

She was going to go get Kyra.

This had gone too far.

Being called Miss Shortie?

It was annoying and insulting but she could deal with it.

An old lady ghost flashing him?

That was funny and she could deal with it.

The books being lobbed at Sebastian?

Well... she didn't approve but she also didn't have room to talk so she supposed she could deal with it _to an extent_.

But the book she was reading being snatched from her hands and lobbed like that?

 _That_ _was_ _unacceptable._

They had gone one step too far.

The line had been crossed and the camel's back was _shattered_.

Kyra was neither in her room nor in the sunroom. Raven continued her search and headed off to the music room. As she approached the hallway, she heard piano music and was relieved her search was over. Whilst Kyra was playing, Raven heard her talking to someone, yet when Raven entered the room, she saw no one else there. She shrugged it off; perhaps one of the old ladies had been bothering her and the other was here with Kyra. Either way, though...

"Kyra! I have had enough and this ghost thing has gone _too far!_ "

No sooner had the words left her lips did Sebastian's aura flare up again.

Kyra's music came to an abrupt end. Both girls cringed, freezing in place until it faded. A disembodied voice groaned loudly.

"There he goes again, trying to show us how _strooong_ he is."

Kyra let out an uneasy chuckle. "Yeah..."

"Doesn't that _bother_ you?" Raven raised an eyebrow.

"Not really. He can't do much to _me_... but, oh, my dearies, that _does_ really bother _you_ , doesn't it?" The old voice sounded very concerned.

"Yes. It makes me feel sick and lightheaded." Kyra rubbed her arms nervously.

"It does a wee bit more than that, I think," the voice sighed. "He is going to keep doing that to try to get me to leave, isn't he? Always has been stubborn."

"Yes, I believe he will," Raven agreed.

"We can't keep putting you through this, then!" The voice declared. Slowly, a small older woman became visible to Raven, who stared in shock. "Young lady, I do know that while Mister Sebastian, as you call him now, is not quite as nice as he used to be, he does indeed care for you. I hope you can help bring him back to the way he used to be. You deserve that much." She smiled gently and turned to Kyra. "Our conversation was quite enlightening. Should I be able to come back, I would like to converse with you again. Now then, I shall grab Ethel and we will be on our way. I do believe we have caused quite enough excitement for one day."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

"A gazebo, and quite a large one at that! It is _quite_ obvious that it was not there just the other day and there has been _no_ construction to _make_ it! Did you think none of the servants would notice it?" Ciel snapped. "Bloody Hell, Sebastian! _What_ did I tell you about doing things such as this?" He sat down, glowering at the demon before him. "Damned demon!"

"Of course, young master. I do apologise," Sebastian replied with a smirk, bowing with a hand over his heart. "It will not happen again."

"Yes, of course," Ciel scoffed. "I am sure your lady friends find comfort in it."

"Ah, yes. The young ladies love the gazebo. Miss Kyra has even mentioned she could even live in it."

"One could only hope."


	20. Chapter Nineteen

_**Chapter Nineteen:**_

 _He Is Different_

* * *

 _It was just after morning tea when Miss Nina_ came by the manor for a final fitting and Nina decreed the costumes masterpieces - ah, yes, and that they were ready. Kyra showed her the little something she had been working on and Nina absolutely _loved_ it.

After breakfast, Raven and Kyra were discussing what they were to do with their day.

"Miss Raven, if you would like, I am going into town for a few things necessary for the party. Would you do me the honour of going with me?" Sebastian interjected.

Raven straightened a bit. "But of course, Mister Sebastian. I would be delighted." He smiled his usual smile and bowed in response.

"Well, it looks like I am on my own. I think I will practice my piano then. It isn't raining yet, but looks like it will be... again," Kyra said as she wistfully stared outside.

"Miss Kyra, if you would like to go out to the gazebo, Mey-Rin will fetch you an umbrella." Sebastian smiled, his hand over his heart as he bowed.

"Thank you."

"If you should like a fire, please ask Finnian to make one for you; do not do it yourself. Ladies' skirts make it a bit dangerous, especially when you are not used to starting a fire wearing such clothing," he cautioned. Kyra merely nodded.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Sebastian extended his hand to help Raven into the carriage, then entered into the compartment himself, tapping the outside to signal the driver as he closed the door.

"Please tell me about these people we are going to visit. They seem important to you," Sebastian said, leaning toward Raven.

"Well, they are wonderful, caring foster parents. I actually hoped they would eventually adopt me. It was the first time since I lost my parents that I actually felt like I was at home, like I had a real family. Back then, they usually had two foster children at a time, but they had me for a while alone. It was wonderful. They helped me with homework, taught me to bake and cook and encouraged me to read pretty much anything I wanted," she responded. She paused in thought for a moment before continuing. "I was pretty much behind my own wall when I got there, but they found a way to break it down and reach me."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "What happened that made you leave them?"

She shifted uncomfortably. "Unfortunately, the Department of Children and Families brought another foster kid to them. He was very troubled... and tried to... mess with me. You know what I mean. Because we already had a solid relationship, I was able to tell them. I trusted them and rightfully so. They reported him to the police and asked for him to be removed from their care. They removed me from their care as well, even though neither they nor I wanted to be separated, even after the trial was over and everything. They claimed it was 'policy' even though I requested to stay there. It was... a bad time for me."

"Yet you were able to stay in touch with them?"

She sighed heavily. "Not too much. I did sneak over there a few times when I was moved to the general area, but I was not able to very often. They made me promise to come back when I was eighteen because then the state has no say on what I do and where I go and, well... When I was 18... _that_ happened, and now I'm _here_ and I know that they're worried that I haven't shown up."

"I see," he replied thoughtfully. "Yes, they do sound like respectable people."

"They are," she agreed. "I still love them very much. They were the only foster parents that ever did right by me. They mean the world to me."

He nodded. "Then they are special people to me as well."

"My turn!" Raven replied with a smirk. He quirked a brow. "Tell me about _yourself_ , before you met Ciel."

He chuckled. "What would you like to know, kitten?"

"Everything," she replied simply, with an amused grin. "Start from the beginning."

It was his turn to adopt a playful smirk. "Well, if you insist. In the beginning, He created the heavens and the Earth, although I was created a bit earlier than that."

Her eyebrows shot up. "There is _no way_ you are _that_ old."

He merely chuckled.

"You _are?"_ She stared with open-mouthed shock for several moments. "I'll give you a warning, then. Don't tell Kyra. She'll call you 'grandpa' for the rest of her life and make stupid jokes like calling you a paedophile since I'm only eighteen."

"Yes, Miss Kyra does have some rather interesting ways of looking at things," he mused.

By this point, Raven was leaning toward him with curiosity gleaming in her eyes. "Oh, wow! The things you must have- AGH!"

She was cut short by an abrupt and familiar bumping of the carriage, sending her flying... directly into the demon's lap, her face hitting his stomach as he caught her before she hit the floor.

Not a moment later, the carriage driver's voice called back to them.

"Are you alright, m'lady, Mr Michaelis? I'm so sorry; that's a new pothole there!"

Raven straightened, settling back in her seat with a rather embarrassed cough.

"Do try to be more careful in the future," Sebastian called back, rather disgruntled. "You almost sent the poor Lady to the floor."

"So sorry, m'lady! It won't happen again!"

"It's quite alright," Raven muttered. "Thank you, Sebastian."

"Of course, dear kitten, and if you have any questions about real history, as I believe you were getting to before that _minor interruption,_ do feel free to ask me at your leisure. Though, I must warn you that you may become rather disillusioned from many of your 'heroes'."

"I was rather expecting that," she pouted. "Well... what sort of things have you enjoyed doing when you have time? Other than playing with cats, of course."

Sebastian had just opened his mouth to answer her and shut it quickly after her addendum. "Hm... Well, I do enjoy dancing. In the mid-1700's... I believe it was 1745? Well, around then the Austrian Imperial Family used to go to their summer palace and throw these wonderful parties. I would dance all night. Dancing then was such an art! If you don't know how, you really should learn. Ah, Scönbrunn Palace, such an exquisite place filled with delightful memories."

"What dances should I learn? The ones from then or the current ones?" Raven queried, looking at the demon's happy face.

"The current dances, of course. However, if you wish to learn more, I would, of course, be happy to teach you." Sebastian smiled at her.

"Might I ask another question, quite a bit off topic?" At his affirmation, she continued quietly. "Sebastian, were you responsible for the black death?"

"No, I am not. Why would you ask me such a question?" Sebastian swiftly responded, bewildered.

Her lips twitched in mild amusement. "In the show I watched, you proudly confessed to having done it at some point. In the book, you did no such thing. I did not mean to offend you." Raven's gaze averted to her hands.

"It seems this entertainment 'show' of yours has taken great liberties to defame me. I had absolutely nothing to do with that." Sebastian frowned.

"Thank God, though. The anime took a horrid spin after the first part. If you didn't actually do that, it seems like this may be following the timeline of the book... Oh, dear." She frowned in thought.

"What is the matter, kitten?"

"Oh, never mind," Raven replied. "I really can't say. I do not want to interfere with the natural order of things. I don't know enough and the story is still ongoing, so things could change."

"Perhaps you are comparing the real me with the entertainment version too much?" Sebastian suggested. "You do know those stories may have nothing to do with us here and now. I may be nothing like that in reality."

"Perhaps…" Raven murmured. _'Maybe he's right. I don't, and have never, known the real him; I've only ever known the him from the anime and manga, and that has been very vague about him, too. Hell, I don't even know what the him from the manga truly_ looks _like. My heart tells me he is different, but my brain tells me to be careful still._ _The circus is not too far off... Only time will tell. Maybe he is different. Or maybe I'm just screwed._ _Either way,_ _I can't get away even if I want to._ ' She bit back a groan.

"Ah, we are almost there," Sebastian said as he gazed out the window. "It has begun to rain. No worries. I, of course, am prepared with an umbrella."

The couple finished the errands in record time and made their way back to the carriage to begin their ride home.

"Sebastian, thank you for inviting me. I have quite enjoyed our time together." Raven smiled. "I did need to discuss something with you. I'm sure you already know this, but I want to say it just to make sure we are on the same page." He nodded, motioning for her to continue. "The fact that Kyra and I have knowledge of the future, and items that would be invented or discovered: we cannot share these with you. It is imperative that you do not try to help Ciel obtain these items as merchandise for any part of his companies." Raven paused as she watched the lack of expression on Sebastian's face. "To do so would cheat the actual inventor out of his original idea. In fact, to do this could alter history in many ways. People met each other through the jobs provided in those factories; to change this could possibly prevent someone from ever being born."

Sebastian nodded in agreement. "I am aware of this, my lady. I would not do such a thing."

"But you had Ciel testing those candies! Wasn't that for the factory?"

"No, my kitten. It was for you, for your cookies. Food has a different flavouring for me than a human, so the young master was merely helping me." Sebastian took her hand and gently asked, "My dear lady, please give the me who is here before you a chance, rather than comparing me to the 'entertainment' me from your time. Please get to know the me who is _reality_ , right here before you."

She sucked in a deep breath and was silent for a moment. "I understand what you are saying and I will try. I only thought that you were trying to do that because it would benefit your master, thereby being a very efficient-butlery thing to do." Raven replied as she placed her other hand over his. "If that is the case, I misjudged you and I apologise for assuming such a thing."

"I am aware that changing things, even seemingly small things, could possibly change the timeline, thus changing how the future is developed. The only time I interfere with that is when I am ordered to by my master," he explained. "He has also been made aware of this by me. Please do not concern yourself over this; it is something I also strive not to interfere with."

"Well, that is a relief," Raven said, exhaling. "I'm sorry. I also thought that since you're a demon you might not care about that."

"Of course, my lady."

They continued talking about much lighter subjects most of the way home.

As they neared the manor, Raven once again questioned Sebastian.

"Sebastian, have you ever seen an augury?"

"Well, yes, a few. They all are quite different; they could be almost anything. Fascinating, actually. Have you any questions regarding yours?" He asked as he helped her disembark from the carriage, his hand lingering briefly on hers.

"Yes, I do, actually. I think you may be able to help me understand some things it has written. It beats around the bush quite a bit; it is very vague at times. I'll show you what I mean when we reach my room. Kyra and I have tried to figure it out, but it seems to be getting vaguer than ever, so it is becoming increasingly difficult."

On the way to her room, the book began emanating an aura; the energy almost throbbed like a beating heart, causing Raven and Sebastian to stare at it in wonder.

Sebastian opened the door for her and bowed. "Let us step inside and see what information it is trying to get to you."

Raven stepped into her room while opening the book. "It's doing it again! It's DOING it again! It's writing itself!" She squealed, tossing the open book onto her bed in fear and revolt.

A moment later, Kyra burst inside, nodding to Sebastian as she entered.

"It is just so creepy to watch it writing itself!" Raven said to anyone who cared to listen. She began pacing back and forth next to the bed while waiting for it to finish.

"So, you haven't looked yet?" Kyra asked.

"No, I am not touching it until it is done. The energy it gives off is even more creepy than watching it happen." Raven shivered as she continued to occasionally glance at the book while pacing.

The demon's lips twitched in amusement. "You showed such willingness and calm in being in the carriage with me alone for so long, yet the aura of the book bothers you so..." He stepped forward, carefully lifting the book off the bed before sitting down with it with a slight shake of his head and amused chuckle. "How amusing. How far back should I go to get to the part you were talking about? We can start there and work our way forward while it continues to write its newest message to you."

"It's... this..." she walked forward and reached out but retracted her arm partially. She made as though to touch it again but retracted her hand once more, squirming a bit. "Nyegh..." she groaned, shivering. "I can't do it. Just... turn the pages that way!" she gestured. "Back to the beginning." Faintly amused, he complied.

Both of Kyra's eyebrows shot up. ' _She's showing the book to him now?_ '

"There is something there in another language that Kyra and I could not read, and an acronym as the signature. We stupidly read it aloud, and... Well, you know the rest." His eyebrows shot up and he stared at the both of them.

"You read the words aloud and you did not even know what they meant?" he chuckled, then eyed Kyra. "Now I understand why your mother was angry with you."

Her cheeks flushed. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I already know this is all my fault. No need to rub it in."

Raven gave her a half-hearted hug. "But it's working out okay. So far." Kyra merely sighed.

" _Really?_ The Sisters of Fate? Well, _they_ usually don't get involved in these things!" Sebastian mused. "Aren't you a special little one?"

Both girls froze before groaning and face-palming as if it was rehearsed.

He rose an eyebrow. "I have seen you both do that before - not at the same time - but may I ask why you strike yourselves so?"

They sighed.

"It's called face-palming," Raven sighed as Kyra began muttering to herself.

"How could I be so _stupid_?" she hissed.

"It's used to show exasperation, frustration... any of that."

"I should've _known_ that! It's so _obvious!_ _"_ Kyra muttered. " _Especially_ with how I was raised! Oh my gosh, my grandmother would be ashamed."

"Why is it so special when the Sisters of Fate are involved in this sort of thing, then?" Raven questioned.

"Well," he began, "they _are_ called the Sisters of _Fate_. They _do_ believe that Fate is predestined; they are ones who weave fate into the fabric of time. They would only alter it if it were requested by someone _very_ important or if something very important was happening. That is why I said, 'Aren't you something special?' They _used_ to be able to be _bribed_ to change things, however, that has become _expressly_ forbidden and unheard of, so this _is_ indeed quite... _unusual_."

" _Well...shit_ ," Kyra whispered, her eyes widened.

" _Agreed,_ " Raven whispered in reply. "So, in that case... What do the words say? The ones in another language."

"Ah, the Latin?" His gaze returned to the book. " _'Fate hath not been kind, Fate hath not yet lied. Into Fate's hands, my soul was entrusted, thus into the Darkness I go._ '"

Slowly, Raven turned to glower at Kyra. "You made me say something really creepy! In _Latin!"_

Kyra shuffled her feet. "Yeah, I know. I have ears. It's not like you pronounced it right, anyway! You'd think a good Catholic would be able to pronounce the words better..."

Raven burst out laughing. "Well, I never _said_ I was a good Catholic!"

Sebastian smiled at the two girls' banter. "Is there anything else you would like me to look at for you?"

"Not yet. Thank you, Sebastian. I want us to give it another try before we get the 'expert' to help us." She grinned a little and glanced at the book. "It's _still_ doing it."

With a slight grin, he gave an affirmative nod.

"My goodness..." she shook her head. "There _was_ a poem the other night. Is it writing a sequel?"

His lips twitched. " _Pars duorum._ "

Kyra snickered.

Raven twitched. "... No habla... Latin?"

"Uh... Raven, you barely habla inglés," Kyra replied sarcastically.

"At least I know how to read," Raven replied, squinting her eyes at her friend.

"I do too know how to read," Kyra sniffed, "I just... don't."

Sebastian, amused, closed the book and rose before placing it back on the bed. "My ladies, I must get back to my duties. If you should require any-" Sebastian froze for a moment before holding one finger up in the air as if to shush them. The area around him darkened a bit while the room around them remained lighted as normal. Raven tensed as the... _aura_ she always felt around him suddenly flared dramatically, to the point when Kyra also tensed, a shiver crawling down her spine.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Around the manor, everyone was busying themselves with work.

The young earl, Ciel Phantomhive, was in the midst of his paperwork when a deathly chill rose up his spine, making him jerk in shock, spilling ink on his paper. He quietly cursed. Damn that demon! What was he up to _now?!_

Mey-Rin could be found in the laundry room, just starting to pour in the soap for the laundry when it happened. It was as if a dark presence was swelling up around her, threatening her. Startled, her hand tilted a bit too much and dumped the entire box of detergent into the wash. She stared in horror. _The one time she was sure she had correctly read the label_. Mister Sebastian would be _so upset!_

Tanaka was in the kitchen making some tea and Baldroy was working on dinner when it happened. Tanaka jerked but managed to not mess up his tea. He glanced around cautiously. Baldroy, however, was getting his rocket launcher ready in some strange attempt to expedite the steak's cooking, apparently not caring that steak already cooks rather quickly. When he felt the dark, threatening aura, he jerked, squeezing his finger and sending the rocket _and_ the steak out the window, shattering it in the process.

Finnian was happily weeding the garden when he felt the dark presence and jumped, yanking a weed out a little too hard and making him fall backwards. Frowning, he glanced around. His eyes widened as he saw a large shadow on the ground. His head snapped up and he looked around, seeing absolutely nothing. He shivered. It was eerie, it was menacing and it was shuddersome. Just what _w_ _as_ that?

All servants were on high alert.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

The young women stared nervously at Sebastian, who had slammed open the window and started looking in all directions - including _up_.

The moment did not last long. He soon straightened and close the window - _much more gently_ \- and turned to the girls, a polite smile on his lips.

"I do apologise for that minor disturbance, my ladies. As I was saying, if you should require any additional help, please feel free to call upon me."

The two young women exchanged glances, trying to figure out _what to say_ and _what the Hell just happened_.

Too slow to speak, he was gone before they found their words.

"What... the Hell... just happened?" Kyra eventually spoke. Raven helplessly shrugged her shoulders and plopped down on the bed opposite of the book.

"I don't know," Raven stuttered.

"Has he ever... _done_ that before?" she pried.

"Not in Kuroshitsuji," the blue-eyed girl shook her head. "But he is different from that Sebastian."

"Alright," Kyra hummed. "That was weird as shit, though, proper British English be damned."

They remained silent for several moments, contemplating what just happened.

"So..." Kyra drawled. "How was your date? Anything eventful?"

"Not at all," Raven shook her head, "but _that_ sure was."

"Think we're ever going to know what that _was_?" Kyra inquired.

"Probably, but not today," she replied. She sighed and glanced back at the book, immediately noticing its aura had died back down. "Maybe the book will help!"

"Let's look at that poem thing first; it may have information you didn't get on the first read," the taller girl suggested.

"Well, I wasn't exactly... in a proper state of mind when I first read it," Raven murmured.

"Oh, were you drunk already?" Kyra replied, amused. Raven merely rolled her eyes and nodded, opening the book.

 _~ A young girl once walked a lonely road._

 _Where the road led, she did not know._

 _All she knew was that she was alone._

 _With flowers in hand, she walked._

 _She knew not why she walked,_

 _Only that she did._

 _Someone was waiting for her_

 _At the end of this road._

 _She walked alone for years before_

 _She met another girl, just like her._

 _A girl who walked a lonely road._

 _This girl held a flute in hand._

 _The two young ladies became fast friends_

 _And they walked together forever after_

 _On this not-so-lonely lonely road._

 _Many times, a monster appeared_

 _And tried to steal the young girl's flowers_

 _And she ran away with her friend._

 _The girls would continue on their path_

 _Until they found the reason they_

 _Walked on this dangerous, lonely road. ~_

The girls read it over in silence for several minutes.

"Wow," Kyra broke the silence. "I'm in your augury."

"That's part of the reason I was so upset," she sighed. "I read that, immediately figured it was talking about us and got pissed that you were in it and it was being vague again. This is telling me now that you are just as involved in this whole supernatural thing as I am. I am _so_ sorry, Kyra."

"Sorry? I think it's exciting!" Kyra said while staring at Raven as if she had lost her mind. "To me, it isn't saying much other than describing in a very vague way our friendship. Nothing new there. Maybe the new message will help us to understand this one better?"

 _~ Monsters._

 _All that walked this lonely road were monsters._

 _Him, too._

 _Perhaps he was the worst._

 _The lonely girl mused upon these things_

 _As she walked and walked._

 _Her friend disagreed._

 _She didn't know why, but she did._

" _Can't you see that monster?" she asked._

" _That monster is fighting the others."_

 _Ridiculous, the lonely girl replied._

 _A monster was a monster._

 _Why would they fight each other?_

 _Perhaps the monster thought to deceive them._

" _No," her friend argued._

" _Haven't you noticed the monsters haven't been_

" _Hurting us lately?_

" _He has been keeping them away."_

" _But why?" the lonely girl asked._

" _Why would a monster do such a thing?"_

" _I don't know," her friend replied._

" _All I know is that he is._

" _Perhaps not all monsters_

" _Are truly monsters._

 _Perhaps he only seems like one." ~_

"Now, neither one of them seem so vague," Kyra stated.

"So Sebastian only seems like a monster but he isn't? That is debatable. And you are apparently _supposed_ to be here and I guess be a big part of our fate. We already knew that, didn't we?" Raven frowned, her eyebrows pushing together in confusion. "Is 'monster' describing people like Tyson, or is 'monster' supposed to be a euphemism for 'demon'? Is he going to have to fight other demons?"

Both girls frowned.

"I only said he could be a _good_ demon, okay?" Kyra huffed. "And you know what I meant: he's not _as bad_ as you think. Plus, like you pointed out, demons aren't the _only_ monsters in your life."

"So by saying he only _seems_ like a monster, the book is saying that he only _seems_ so evil?" Raven raised a brow then sighed. "This goes against everything I was raised to believe. I was raised to believe 'Oh, demons are evil! Don't trust them!' but now I'm supposed to love one, according to the... to the _Sisters of Fate_."

"It just says maybe he only appears to be a monster, nothing about love. I suspect that part would be up to the two of you being able to work things out," Kyra replied.

Raven let out a heavy sigh. "I'm fairly certain they intend for me to love him. Either way-" The young woman broke off, freezing as _it happened again_.

This time, his aura emanated from outside, growing slowly. She and her friend rushed to the window, staring outside in an attempt to see what he was doing and saw Sebastian quickly walking down the garden path towards a seemingly hysterical Finnian. Finny spoke briefly to Sebastian with his arms flapping wildly every which way before he stopped and pointed at the sky and at the ground. They exchanged words and Sebastian began running towards where Finny had been working and Finny left. It was getting very intense, the dark foreboding feeling of danger. The shivers up and down their spines returned tenfold. They saw him suddenly stop, kneeling down and picking something up. He stood, looking off into the distance.

Then he was gone.


	21. Chapter Twenty

_**Chapter Twenty:**_

 _A Small Blemish_

* * *

 _Sebastian shot up into the sky, flying_ as fast as he could, following the scent of blood. He quickly caught up to the interloper who was trying to escape. His eyes were narrowed slits, scanning the area. Up ahead, he saw a forest beginning.

Perfect.

Within moments, they were flying above it and Sebastian wasted no time in soaring over the intruder, spinning mid-air and slamming him with his wing, sending him plummeting into the ground, breaking through branches along the way. The intruder landed with a painful _thud,_ Sebastian tailing straight behind him, slamming him back into the ground as he made an attempt to stand up. Sebastian's heels dug painfully into his back.

" _ **You."**_

The word was deeply growled, a warning, an unspoken order _not to move_ clearly lurking behind the word as the demon stepped off the intruder's back and began circling around him.

" _ **You, of all people, should have known better."**_

The intruder shakily, _defiantly_ rose to a knee, one hand on the ground to steady himself, poised to move swiftly should it prove necessary. He slowly turned his head, his indignant glare following the demon's predatory strides. _**"So this is how ye greet an old friend? Ye shoot fookin' rockets at them? Who does that? Fookin' rockets! And not only that but a**_ **steak!** _ **A BURNT steak! Yer aff yer heid!"**_ The intruder lifted the steak and tapped it - _tap, tap, tap_ \- creating a hollow sound from the burnt remnants. _**"Much more cooking and it woulda turn'd to ash! Is this yer idea of a joke? Or your new form of hospitality? Either way, ye failed at both! Save yerself some time and money; just launch the fookin steak! It'll do the job!"**_

 _Tap, tap, tap._

For a moment, Sebastian looked at the burnt steak expressionlessly before turning his back on the intruder. If one listened closely, they may have heard a long, drawn-out sigh.

" _ **Either way, ye kinna come out of the bloody house to see who is there? And then ye slam them outta th' sky with yer bloody wing! YER AFF YER HEID!"**_

Sebastian's eyes narrowed as he finally looked back and down at the offended figure, choosing to ignore the whole... _"steak"_ tidbit. _**"An old friend...? I have not seen you in**_ **two thousand years** _ **and now you**_ **intrude on my territory** _ **... three... times... in the span of**_ **one day** _ **."**_

A deep, threatening growl erupted from the prowling demon's throat.

" _ **Now, tell me. Why are you here?"**_

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Kyra and Raven exchanged worried glances as they slowly moved from the window.

"Should I be worried about this?" Kyra hesitantly asked, her brows furrowing.

Raven helplessly flapped her arms about, stuttering. "I-I... I... I don't _know!_ None of this has ever happened in the manga before. This is real life; this is all new!"

Kyra frowned. "Well, _you_ seem worried. I guess I should be, too, then."

Raven made an indecipherable noise and hid underneath her covers, cowering a bit.

"Well... it was all _bad_ stuff happening in the manga. Maybe this is a _good thing!_ " Kyra suggested hopefully.

"Yeah. _Suuure_. Did _that_ feel good to _you?_ _"_ Raven scoffed.

At that point, Kyra burrowed into the bed beside Raven. "I'm not hiding alone."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

The next morning found the girls sitting at morning tea in an awkward silence.

When she had come for their final fitting the day before, Nina had been rather amused to find the girls huddled in Raven's bed, so there was that at least, however Sebastian had been acting rather peculiar.

He refused to divulge any of what had happened last night when Raven asked. This did nothing to assuage the girls' concern; if anything, it encouraged it.

After tea, the girls took a few moments to mutter amongst themselves.

"He seems to want to keep it to himself. It's either _really, really_ bad, or he just doesn't want to bother us with something trivial," Raven murmured to Kyra.

"He's being even more vague than the book," Kyra pouted, before adopting a wicked grin and whispering a little something in Raven's ear, making her eyes widen.

" _Excuse me?!"_

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

" _STOP!"_ Kyra hollered, snatching the flamethrower out of Bard's hands.

"What?!" He jerked in shock. "Why?! This'll make them cook faster!"

"As a matter of fact, _no it will not!"_ Kyra snapped. "It will make them _burn_ and _set the manor on fire!_ Even if you were magically able to _not_ do either of those two things, it would make them cook unevenly! It'd be nice and crispy on the outside, and nice and _doughy_ on the _inside!"_

Bard hummed, rubbing his chin. "That so?"

"Yes!" Kyra huffed. "Cooking is an _art form_. It requires patience and delicacy. I'm sure you understand. Are you trying to get us out of here fast or something? Are we in your way?"

He nearly dropped his cigarette in shock. "No, of course not, Miss!"

"It's okay," Raven finally interjected, coming out from hiding behind a _very_ annoyed Sebastian. "I think he's just... a little to _eager_ is all."

"That said... Baldroy."

The blond stood straight, eyes wide.

"Do make an effort to stop terrifying the ladies," he ordered, glowering just a... just a _tad._ "Use your manners."

"Yes, Mister Sebastian..." He sulked.

"Stop trying so hard," Kyra advised, sympathetically patting him on his shoulder. "That's really one of the keys to making these cookies - quite often in cooking in general. This is something you do to relax."

When he nodded, looking rather determined, the trio continued in their cookie-making, taking care to stay out of Sebastian's way as he cooked for the party.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Raven stared deadpan at herself in the mirror, looking this way and that at the costume Kyra had planned for her in cahoots with Nina.

In all honesty, she wasn't that surprised.

At least Sebastian would like it - which was probably the whole reason for it to begin with, actually.

"You should draw on some whiskers," Kyra encouraged.

Raven turned to stare deadpan at her. "I think this is enough," she responded.

Ah, yes. Kyra had finally succeeded in her long-standing endeavour: getting Raven to dress up as a cat for Halloween.

The costumes she had found previously Raven had either thought too juvenile or too slutty. Neither of the girls knew how to sew, so it had been a rejection after rejection of cat costumes, much to Kyra's behest.

This one, however, was different. It was made _just for Raven_ by one of the best, if not _the_ best, tailor in all of England. It featured a loose skull cap with cat ears and a choker with a bell for a collar. The dress seemed to be a cross between a nightshirt and a sack dress with a slit down the side, revealing shorts underneath and striped hosiery. For shoes, she wore heeled boots. The second feature of the dress was a cute tail on the back of the dress, topped off with a little bow.

Mey-Rin giggled. "You both look splendid tonight, yes you do! Your costumes balance each other quite well!"

It was quite true. While Raven was a cat, Kyra was an Egyptian demon. The detailed paper mache mask Kyra had made had been painted by Raven. She wore a black toga with a golden sheen and an egyptian collar. A very long sash, which hung down in the middle front, was wrapped around her waist. It was a charcoal grey sash with, once more, a gold sheen. Around both of her wrists were black cuff bracelets with a golden sheen... again. A pair of dark sandals completed her outfit.

Both costumes had been custom made for them by Nin and she truly lived up to her reputation; the costumes were absolutely _amazing_.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

The girls were watching the children running about, playing, and enjoying their cookies. It seemed they were a big hit, and the girls had a warm feeling in their chest as they watched them going back for more a few times. One little boy in particular took one bite of a cookie as he was walking away, turned around and grabbed a handful more. _That_ earned a giggle from both girls.

It was well into the party when the girls, with a frown, noticed something.

A few of the boys were bullying another boy. They crowded him in somewhat of a semicircle, taunting and pushing him. When he tried to run away and one boy instead shoved him so hard he fell to the ground and began to cry, Kyra and Raven knew they must intervene.

They whispered and quickly devised a plan.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

"What, pretty girl, are you a crybaby, too? Crybaby!" The boy sneered down at the younger child.

The boy shakily stood and stared defiantly back at his bullies, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I'm not a crybaby! I just want you to leave me alone!"

"He just wants us to leave him alone! Hah, what a meater!" Another jeered.

The bullies scoffed as the younger boy's eyes widened. "You pigeon-livered buffoon!"

"No," he cried, "behind you! A monster!"

"Yeah, right!" The boys looked back, ready to continue mocking after proving him wrong.

They came face to face with a demon.

Their eyes bulged and they screamed, backing away. "AHHH! DEMON!"

"See, I told you!" The boy cried.

"Help!" All four boys cried in unison.

"Grrr!" The scary demon growled. "Children! My favorite snack!"

"It's going to eat us! What do we do?!" They cried.

" _Hiss!_ Get away from those children, you evil demon!" A voice shouted. All turned to see the nice cat lady from before hissing at the demon.

"Oh, no!" The demon growled, recoiling. "A cat! This is bad!"

"Mrrow! Hiss! Begone, demon! Go back from whence you came! _Hiss!"_ The cat lady yowled.

"Argh! You cats always spoil my fun, but not this time!" The demon roared, taking a step forward.

"Oh, no!" The cat jerked. "This demon has a strong will! It's stronger than I thought! You children have to help me."

"But what can we do?" One whimpered. "The demon is so scary!"

"Demons are scared of cats! Hiss and growl like a cat and help me chase it away!" The cat lady exclaimed.

The children seemed uncertain as the demon growled angrily, but cat lady got on all fours like a true cat and began hissing and growling and arching her back.

She was like a true cat.

Quickly, the children joined in, mimicking her pose and hissing and growling as best as they could.

Soon, the demon was backing away in terror. "So many cats! Damn you foul beasts, always getting in my way! I may be taking my leave now, but I will be back, of that I assure you!"

"And I will be here waiting for you!" Cat Lady hissed.

"So will we! _Hiss!"_ The children hissed.

"Argh!" The demon ran away, banished.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Minutes later found Kyra in the kitchen, wheezing in laughter, pounding her fist on the wall.

"I think I can go back out there," she chuckled after a few minutes, "it should be safe now."

"Not dressed like that, you can't," Bard chuckled. "You'll have children hissing and chasing you all night. They might even throw sticks or rocks. Dressed like that, you're a demon now."

Raven's powerful Cat Lady voice faintly carried over into the kitchen. "Let this be a lesson to you, children! It may be scary to stand up for yourselves and others against anyone or anything that seems bigger or stronger than you, but we must do it to maintain safety, fairness and peace in all the lands!"

The children cheered... and were those a few adult cheers as well?!

" _BWAHAHAHAHAHA!"_ Kyra shrieked, nearly falling over, a snickering Bard the only thing stopping her from collapsing. "IT'S JUST LIKE A COMIC BOOK!"

"Yeah!" Baldroy agreed, laughing.

Both suddenly froze, a hand clamped over their mouths.

A moment later, they side-eyed each other with questioning glances.

After another moment passed in silence, they both nodded, each knowing, each understanding... and neither asking.

"Well, I had best go change," Kyra coughed into her fist.

"Er, yes, of course," Bard agreed, clearing his throat and averting his gaze.

Kyra strode out of the room, calling for Mey-Rin.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

A certain demon butler watched his beloved, clapping politely along with the small crowd.

"Oh, kitten, look what you've gone and done... when you were trying so hard _not_ to."

His eyes slid to the side and a bit upward, toward the roof of the manor.

"Unlike a certain stubborn, thick-headed imbecile."

"Is there something wrong with our roof that has you scowling at it so, Sebastian?" A young voice snarked from beside him.

He turned to look at his young master with a rather mischievous smirk. "It is nothing of importance, young master. I have simply noticed a small blemish, which will be taken care of shortly."

"Oh, is that it?" Ciel replied, rather sarcastically. "Well, we cannot allow a blemish to remain on the Phantomhive Manor, no matter how small. Be sure it is taken care of swiftly."

The butler bowed, his hand over his heart. "Why, but of course, my lord. What kind of butler would I be if I couldn't even do that much?"

With a harrumph, the young earl strode away.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Kyra scowled as she walked outside, rubbing her arms as she shivered. The weather was not cold; this was different, it was something else. Something was going on, and she couldn't quite put her finger on it... though, she knew who likely _could_.

She warily glanced around as she searched for him, glad that the children were still obsessing over Raven, though she smiled and waved at one who stared at her for a moment before turning back to her friend.

After stomping away a bit, she paused and looked back at the manor, her gaze slowly trailing upwards. She stared expectantly at the chimney, rather frustrated. After a moment, she grew even more frustrated and continued on.

Now, where was that butler..?

Aha! There he was, walking away from Ciel and.. sending dirty glares at... the roof.

And, call her crazy, but she was pretty damn sure he was glowering at... the chimney.

After another suspicious glance at the aforementioned chimney, she strode over to her unwitting victim.

" _You,"_ she snarled, jabbing a finger in the middle of his chest. He blinked down at her in mild surprise. Before he could speak a word, she continued. _"You_ know what's going on here. I think that's why you've been acting so strangely! I know you've sensed it, because you've started acting strangely at the same time that I've started to sense this. Now, _what_ is going on? Where did you go?"

He stared down at her with a passive expression for several moments before his eyes slid to the side, gazing down at the frolicking, happy orphans. "Miss Kyra, with all due respect, there is a time and a place for this conversation, and this is neither the time nor place."

Her eyes narrowed. "And just when would be the time and place for it, Mister Sebastian? You've been avoiding the topic ever since it happened."

He closed his eyes, smiled politely and bowed. "I do apologise, my lady, however, due to the nature of the matter, it may be best if I continue doing so."

Kyra harrumphed a bit. "Very well, then. I will let it go, _for now,_ due to our guests. I fully intend on continuing this subject later."

His eyes opened, showing a glinting fuschia that made his polite smile seem a bit more ominous. "As you wish, my lady."

She moved a bit closer to him and spoke in a firm, yet hushed tone. "Sebastian Michaelis. Don't you get all demony with me. Or is this look reserved for whatever's up there by that chimney?"

She looked him dead in the eye.

"And I _do_ know that there is _someone_ or some _thing_ up there."

"Well, my lady," he mused curiously, "what did you see up on the roof?"

"There are more ways to see than with just your eyes."

With that, Kyra turned and walked toward Raven, leaving a befuddled demon in her wake.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

"Well, I, for one, think the party was a great success," Raven declared as she settled into her chair.

The last of the children had just left the manor with their chaperones, still cheering over "Cat Lady" and how amazing she was while shouting out random "meow!"s and hisses. Now, the servants were on cleanup detail, though most of it was already done (courtesy of the resident demon, of course).

Kyra burst out laughing once more. "Why yes, yes it was, and the _unscheduled entertainment_ was a roaring success also, dontcha think?" Kyra teased, a mischievous light glinting in her eyes. "Although... _someone_ hasn't finished with her little _party detail_ yet, has she?"

"Oh, I know." Raven winced slightly. "It shall be done."

As if on cue, a knock sounded at the door and, after their response, it opened to reveal the demon butler himself.

He bowed with a smile. "My ladies, would you care for any refreshments before you retire for the night?"

Kyra perked up, a devilish smile on her lips. "Actually, yes. I would absolutely love some hot cocoa. Why don't you go with him, Raven?"

"Huh?" Raven blinked before internally groaning at what Kyra was implying. "Of course."

Sebastian straightened a bit, frowning, but before he could say a word, Kyra was already speaking.

"It'd be great for a little bonding time, don't you think, Raven?" She giggled.

"Oh, yes. Of course." Raven deadpanned.

Well, he couldn't very well argue with that logic. How could he deny bonding time with his kitten, after all? "Very well then," he agreed.

Kyra snickered, nudging her friend with her elbow. "Go get 'em, tiger!"

The butler opted to ignore that comment.

After the door closed behind them and they had began on their way, Sebastian stopped when he realised his dear kitten was not walking alongside him.

"My dear?" He turned, raising an eyebrow inquisitively.

She stood several steps behind him, head downturned and wringing her hands behind her back as she rocked between each foot; she was acting as the book definition of "shy".

He choked back his laughter to focus more on his curiosity. "My kitten, what is the matter?"

"M..." She choked out, fidgeting even more, if that were possible. "M... M..."

Sebastian tilted his head to the side in confusion. "Kitten? What are you trying to say?"

"M... Mm...!" Raven tensed, gritting her teeth. Suddenly, she jerked into motion, bringing her hands up as if they were paws and staring at him with a red face of determination. "Mrrrrrow! Hiss! Run away, evil demon!"

...

...

...

It was suddenly becoming very difficult for the very old demon to keep his composure.

"My dear kitten," he choked out, "I do so regret to remind you that I am most definitely _not_ afraid of cats."

Her head lowered a bit more for a moment before she rose it to glower at him. "Do you not know how to play? JUST RUN! I can't catch you if you don't _run!"_

His smile twitched on his lips a bit as he considered her proposal.

She sighed at his inaction before adopting a silly smirk. "If you don't run, you will never discover what may happen if I catch you," she purred, winking.

Raven jumped in surprise as Sebastian was suddenly...

... Gone. He was nowhere in sight.

' _I didn't think my flirting was quite_ that _bad.'_ Raven deadpanned once more.

Suddenly, Sebastian popped into view at the end of the hallway, looking back at her with a smirk and a wave. "This way, kitten," he called before disappearing once more.

' _Am I playing hide and seek with a demon now, instead?'_ She sighed, beginning to run after him. _'Either way, I still have to catch him.'_

She paused for a moment.

' _... What_ am _I going to do if I catch him?'_

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Raven couldn't believe how much he was actually going along with the whole charade. Each time she'd come close to grabbing hold of him, he'd speed up just a touch while throwing out a sarcastic comment about how _terrifying_ she was.

Now, she was close again...

Almost there...

Would he let her catch him this time, perhaps?

She reached out, and...

... Nope.

Her hand just missed his arm, and he looked back at her, that damned smirk on his face.

"Not quite fast enough, kitten."

... Why was she doing this again?

Ah, right. Kyra. Damn it, Kyra!

She hadn't been running all that long, yet she was already exhausted. Maybe Kyra was right; she should exercise with her more often.

"What's the matter, kitten?" He tilted his head, still looking back at her with that teasing smirk. "You're not hissing or growling anymore. Tired already?"

If she weren't panting for breath, she might have come up with some kind of a retort, but she settled on a glower. She dug deep within herself for the determination needed to continue chasing the demon.

After a few pants and deep intakes of break, she gave him a hiss.

A very angry hiss.

"Ooh!" He held a hand mockingly to his lips. "Now I'm scared!"

"And you," she panted, "should be!"

With that, she put all of her strength into one final pounce... and... she...

Caught him!

She smirked triumphantly, holding tightly on to the demon's arm as she gasped for breath. "I... got you!"

He chuckled, setting her down. "Yes, you did," he replied, gently scratching her under the chin. "Very good, my dear kitten. That was quite enjoyable, and quite unusual; normally, I'm the one doing the chasing, after all."

"I'm sure you are," she breathed, still catching her breath, "and I'm sure you're much better at it than me."

He merely smiled in reply. Though she didn't notice, he may or may not have nodded. "My kitten, you really are adorable."

She glanced away with a quiet giggle before looking back up at him. "Well, now that I've caught you, may I?"

"Of course, my kitten." He looked down at her with a hint of a smile on his face, though his eyes gave a sense of complete sincerity. "You may always do whatever you'd like to me, for I am yours."

She looked up at him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes and hearing the meaning in his words, and was shaken.

He had always been doing this, since the beginning of their relationship. It was still so hard to believe because it went against _everything she had ever known,_ but it was still so clear to her.

His honesty and his integrity when he was with her; it was simply astounding. When she had been speaking with Kyra lately, she had tried to relay exactly what she felt and yet it was simply so difficult.

It was something that she felt in her heart that told her that... _it was real_.

... Yet it was still so hard for her to accept because of the beliefs that had been hammered into her brain since she was a child.

So, she looked up at the demon that stood before her, offering himself to her so freely, and she embraced him.


	22. Chapter Twenty-One

_**Chapter Twenty-One:**_

 _Ignorance is Bliss_

* * *

" _I must thank you both for your efforts_ on the party yesterday. I do believe it was a very big success. The children seemed to have a wonderful time," Ciel said. They were seated at the table having breakfast (courtesy of Sebastian, as per usual). "Oh and Miss Raven? That was an... er... A-hem. An _astounding_ performance yesterday! You really connected quite well with the children."

Raven stared expressionlessly at the child and his attempt at a polite smile before returning the smile. "Thank you, Mister Ciel. I do think they rather enjoyed it. Children can be amused at the strangest things."

"Yes, quite," Ciel agreed. "Anyway, there is something of an announcement to make. We will be travelling to my townhouse in London tomorrow for business. Would that be enough time for you ladies to be ready?"

"Of course," Raven nodded.

"We're going back to London?" Kyra's eyes lit up. "And this time we can enjoy it? No running or hiding?"

Ciel harrumphed.

"Even from Sebastian?" Kyra snickered, nudging Raven.

Ciel made an amused harrumph this time. _'You clearly did not run far enough.'_

"Oh, hush you!" Raven nudged her back.

"Of course you will be safe in London, my ladies. I assure you everything has been taken care of," Sebastian spoke up, bowing slightly with his eyes closed. "Young Master, I have readied your correspondences in your study. As for the young ladies; Miss Kyra, after breakfast, Mey-Rin will be awaiting you in your room to begin preparations for tomorrow. Miss Raven, our carriage awaits us outside when you are ready."

"Very well, then. I believe I shall take my leave now." Ciel rose from the table, as did the ladies.

"As shall we. Thank you for breakfast," Raven smiled.

She soon found herself alone once more with Sebastian.

"My lady, when would you like to depart?" He inquired, his smile dancing on his lips.

"Just give me a few moments to freshen up and pack a few things to bring along, and I will be ready."

"Of course, my lady." He bowed.

"Also, erm, Sebastian..." she hesitated a moment at his curious gaze. "Dare I ask... what happened to that poor constable?"

His smile became rather menacing as he straightened. "Ah, the bobby. It seems that his story had little merit. It appears that he may have been drinking that night."

She cringed a bit from the smile on his face. "I take it that I dare not ask, then."

"Indeed, my kitten." He chuckled.

With that, she spun on her heel and began walking away. Under her breath, he heard her muttering to herself, _"Ignorance is bliss... Ignorance is bliss.."_

He chuckled to himself again and went to his room, where he went straight to his dresser, opening the top drawer swiftly. He smiled softly at what he found inside.

The little something he had found in that box in her room. Ah, how he adored it.

A small twinge of shame surprised him as he once again cuddled it. Brushing it off, he thought back to her earlier question.

" _Dare I ask what happened to that poor constable?"_

' _Oh, no, kitten,'_ he mused to himself. _'You most certainly do not want to know, with your compassionate little heart. You surely would not approve of the things I will do to ensure your safety and wellbeing.'_

* * *

 _ **28 October 1888**_

* * *

 _The young master was indeed rather exasperated with the situation. He had come up with a plan to clear the young ladies' names and declared that from there-on-out it was Sebastian's duty to follow his orders._

 _ **Step One:  
**_ _ **Gather information.**_

 _After acquiring his identity, gather every bit of both personal and professional information on the bobby. His habits, his reputation, his home life,_ everything _. Find out whom he spoke to at what time so as to use every bit of truthful information in their favour as possible._

 _After sneaking into the police station and rifling through their records, he found the record of that night._

 _The officer's name?_

 _James Marston._

 _A very detailed account of his evening, including people he spoke to in the neighbourhood, including times. This would be very helpful._

 _Sebastian smiled, staring down at the report._

 _Now, to investigate these people to find who would be useful._

 _Simple, really. Child's play, even._

 _Ah, yes, and he mustn't forget to eavesdrop on his home life, either._

 _Oh, dear... it seems there was an issue indeed._

" _Why can't we just stay here?!" The officer was grouching to his wife._

" _I haven't seen my family in over two years and it will be Christmas! Is it asking too much to spend it with my entire family occasionally instead of only you and the children? I miss them!"_

" _I just don't want to spend the holidays around that drunken louse of a father of yours. You know we don't get along! All he does is insult me!"_

" _He doesn't like bobbies! You know it is only that!"_

" _Yes, of course. He only hates my job, don't take it personally at all! Why don't we arrive the day before and leave the day after?"_

" _You may have missed the whole point, James!"_

 _Well, it wasn't quite_ scandalous _, but if a rumour that they were having issues spread, well... Humans had a tendency to over exaggerate things themselves._

 _Now, then._

 _It seemed that just before he discovered the ladies, he had..._

 _Oh, my. How fortuitous._

 _It seems he had come upon a few working ladies and sent them away from where they were working._

 _Now, if he simply found them..._

 _Ah, this was simply becoming too easy._

 _ **Step Two:  
**_ _ **Plant the seeds.**_

 _Ciel's eyes narrowed and he glared at Sebastian. "This is an order. Make the bobby out to be a drunk. Lie, I don't care, do what you must. That way, nobody will believe a word he says."_

 _It was, of course, easy to temporarily dispatch the bartender in the local pub and disguise himself as the man - Mark Richards - and slip in unnoticed. Richards' pub, it was, featuring Keith's Ale._

" _Oi, I'll have me a Keith's, Richard!" A patron cheered as he lumbered in and sat at an open stool. "So what's the latest chat on the witches, eh? The mutton shunters catch 'em yet?"_

" _Aish, that's all my wife talks about anymore!"_

" _What was that, about six days ago?" Sebastian spoke up, sliding the patron his ale. "Didn't he come in here half-rats and leave tight as a boiled owl? Why would anyone believe the drunken fool?"_

" _Don't sell me a dog!" One man slammed his hands on the counter. "He didn't!"_

 _Another man came in and sat down on the second left seat at the counter - obviously his spot. He must be a regular._

" _Weren't you here?" He suggested. "You remember drunken Marston coming in here the other day, don't you?"_

" _Wuh?" He looked up, surprised._

" _He bought you a drink!" One patron piped up. "You told me!"_

" _What?" He jumped, panicking when all eyes turned to him. "Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!"_

" _And I heard he's still tot-hunting too, even though his wife is quite the bit o' jam!" The patron from before proclaimed._

" _Oh, shut it, Johnny! We all know you don't like the guy." The patron from before scoffed._

" _It's true!" A female voice purred. This time, all eyes turned to a short-statured, small-framed, dark-haired woman. "He came to visit me that night, all drunk, he was. He_ only _comes to see me when he's half in the bag. He gets mean when he's like that, and I told him to push off, so he started yelling, 'you witch!' and threatened to arrest me."_

" _Aw, he didn't!" A drunkard vehemently shook his head. "That doesn't sound like him!"_

" _Don't you remember him from just a few years ago?" Another man exclaimed. "He was a drunkard just like us!"_

" _But he quit! He doesn't drink anymore!"_

" _Who's to say he didn't start again?!" Another suggested._

" _How many times have_ you _quit in the last year? And_ you're _still sitting here drinking! You know it's not that easy to quit!"_

 _Sebastian chose that moment to speak up again. "Word has it he's been having some trouble with his wife. That could have made him start up again."_

" _Aw, no, James!" The first man groaned. "You were doing so well! Had turned your life around, and now you're throwing it all away!"_

 _A mischievous smile grew on Sebastian's face as a simple few words sent the bar reeling, more and more gossip forming without any work needed on his part._

 _Before leaving, he gave the room another glance over, his smirk growing._

 _What good timing, indeed._

 _He recognised several aristocrat's servants there... This would certainly help the gossip spread into the higher class as well._

 _ **Step Three:**_

 _ **Wait and watch.**_

 _It took mere days before the gossip spread like wildfire. Within a week,_ everyone _knew about it, and Officer James Marston was called into the commissioner's office._

" _James," he sighed, "I think it's time you've resigned."_

 _His eyes widened in surprise. "Sir, you can't honestly believe this absolute_ rubbish _-!"_

" _James!" He barked, standing. "_ Everybody _has heard. Regardless of what you say, everybody knows, or thinks they know, about your drinking and your tot-hunting. I really thought that you had quit that!"_

" _I haven't had a drink in over two years!" Officer Marston insisted. "I don't know where these rumours started, but I'm surely being set-up!"_

 _Even as he was speaking, the commissioner was shaking his head. "James... just go. Don't embarrass yourself any more than you have. Just leave." He shook his head once more, sighing. "I really thought you were one of the best. I'm simply so disappointed. There is no coming back from this for you here."_

 _As James Marston left the building, he couldn't help but think to himself,_ 'I haven't had a drink in over two years, but I sure have a taste for one now.'

 _When he came home and told his wife what had happened, she wasn't very happy, especially considering she herself had heard the gossip as well. Once she was done hollering at him, he took the chance to reason with her._

" _Dear, I come home to you every night and find you awake and waiting for me. Have I ever come home smelling of booze since I promised you I've quit? Have you ever smelled another woman's perfume on me?"_

 _Tearfully, she took several deep breaths. "No."_

 _He took her hands in his. "I promise you that I've been faithful, love, and I haven't broken my promise. Will you please believe me?"_

 _Slowly, she nodded. "But you've still lost your job. What will we do? How will we feed our children?"_

" _I'll find something," he promised._

 _She hesitated for a moment. "My father did offer you a job, and we can't have our children hearing this gossip if they haven't already. Maybe it's best that we move there and you try to work for him. If it doesn't work out, you can still look for something there."_

 _He let out a humourless laugh. "Oh, yes, that'll be great. He'll surely be happy to hear. Now we'll be one, big, happy family."_

* * *

 _ **Present: 1 April 1888**_

* * *

Sebastian chuckled, staring at the little something. "While I'm sure my kitten would not be quite fond of the... _suggested_ untruths, the young master did order it, and it went quite well. Ah, well."

He set it back down in his drawer and gave it a longing stare.

"I do wonder why I find myself feeling this way. I thought I had lost my sense of remorse long ago. How peculiar. I wonder if this is another effect of the bond with my mate."

He hummed, then sighed, checking his pocket watch, his lips twitching into a smirk.

"My kitten should be ready soon. It is time to meet my new family."

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _ **Hey, guys. Another author's note, yay! Yeah, not really. I have to say that it really seems as though the world is working against us getting this story written. Roughly three weeks ago, a very close friend of ours passed away. It seems every time we get our momentum going for this story, something comes along and pulls it right away.**_

 _ **They say, and Sebastian seems to agree (poor Arthur Conan Doyle), that the more you hurt, the better you write. I suppose we'll see if that's true. I truly enjoy writing this story, and I hope you all enjoy it. I must say, however, that neither of these two authors feel we need any more of this type of inspiration - please and thank you.**_

 _ **By the way... did anyone get the little easter egg we put in there? ;)**_


	23. Chapter Twenty-Two

_**Chapter Twenty-two:**_

 _Mom's Spit Test_

* * *

 _The ride in the carriage felt a bit slower_ than before, seeing as though she was inside it by herself this time. She did pass the time faster by reading, though it didn't quite compare to speaking to an ages-old demon about... Well, anything really. He was a good conversation partner, she had to give him that.

Soon, the carriage came to a gentle halt.

She also had to admit that he was a bit of a better driver than the other carriage driver, seeing as though she _wasn't_ sent flying this time.

She closed her book and set it back in her bag as the door opened. She took his hand and let him help her out of the carriage.

"My kitten, there is something I should tell you first," Sebastian spoke. "Miss Kyra made a suggestion to me earlier, and upon further thought, I thought it worth offering to you. If you would like to spend the night with your family here, you may."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Really?! That's wonderful! But what about Kyra? I'm sure she'd have loved to spend the night with her mother."

"As a matter of fact, I did offer to bring her along as well, yet she declined."

"Really?" Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "How odd." _'What is that girl up to?'_

"Shall we go, then, kitten?" He smiled.

She sighed. "... Actually, I need your help with something first. Could you please undo my corset for me?"

The butler blinked twice before adopting a slightly lecherous smile and a teasing sound to his voice. _"Certainement, ma chéri."_

Raven rolled her eyes and sighed again, rather exasperated. "No hable _perv_. I need to change into my _modern_ clothes. I can't very well go to my foster parent's house dressed like a Victorian English noblewoman." She noted he was looking far off into the distance all around them as she was speaking before he returned his gaze to her.

"Of course, my lady. Please do excuse me. Turn around and raise your arms up, please." Once she turned and rose her arms, he took hold of her dress.

Raven closed her eyes, counting as she steadied her breath. _'You asked him to do this. He isn't going to hurt you. He will only do as you asked. Calm down. Breathe. Inhale. One... Two... Three... You're in control. Exhale. One... Two... Three...'_

With a swift movement, her dress was off and laid neatly in the carriage. His hands worked swiftly untying and unlacing her corset, and she caught it as it began to loosen. She muttered her thanks as he helped her back into the carriage and closed the door behind her once more.

A few moments later, the sounds of rustling clothing paused and Sebastian heard her quietly groan.

His lips twitched in amusement. "Is everything alright, _ma chéri?_ Do you require further assistance? Should I come in?"

"Only if you want to get _hurt,"_ came the smooth retort. "Sebastian, I need a coat."

His head tilted to the side. "Is the coat you already have insufficient?"

"Yes. The fashion is outdated and would draw attention. That's putting aside the functionality not being good enough for a Chicago winter. The wind chill will freeze me to death. Would you mind if I drew roughly what I need and you get it for me?"

"Of course, dear kitten," he chuckled.

"First off, do you know what nylon is?"

He blinked. "I'm afraid not."

" _Ahh,_ I figured as much," she pouted. "Wool it is. Colour-wise, I'd prefer a dark grey or black, please." He heard the scratching sound of pencil on paper for several moments before the carriage door began to open.

"Oh, please allow me, my lady."

She allowed him to open the door and handed him her sketchbook. A moment later, he handed her sketchbook back and she put it in her bag. Raven took his hand, leaving the carriage with her bag. She put her arms in the coat he offered her and buttoned it up before wrapping the scarf from her Victorian outfit around herself. "I suppose I'm ready now. Thank you."

"Very good." Sebastian gently pulled her closer, laying his hand over his mark. "Now, then. Try to visualise where their home is so that I can take us as close as possible."

Raven closed her eyes and rested her hands on his chest, concentrating. She imagined her home, the first day she saw it, and how it gradually became something _more_. She imagined the time she first brought Kyra over for a sleepover. She imagined them playing outside.

She felt a slight tingling sensation and a _strange_ feeling, a sensation that made her feel as though she were being picked up and _lifted_ , yet the only thing touching her was Sebastian's hand over his mark.

Then it was over, leaving her feeling like she had just gotten off of an elevator.

"We have arrived, kitten."

At his words, she slowly opened her eyes and rose her head to look around. Giddiness bubbled inside her when she turned and saw _her home_. She whipped back toward him with a huge grin. "Well, since we're 'mates' or whatever, I'll just introduce you as my fiancé."

She turned back once more, missing his look of surprise, and attempted to run up to the house. Sebastian caught her arm, turning her toward him once more, a sly smirk on his face. "Honestly, kitten, saying something like that and trying to run away... If you want something like that to work, don't you need a ring?"

"Oh, no, we can just say we haven't gone shopping for it yet," Raven waved it off.

"Really, kitten, you insult me," he chuckled. "I cannot have my fiancée without a ring."

He took her left hand in his and slipped a ring on her finger.

"There, now, isn't that much better?" He smiled. "If it is not to your liking, we can find one more preferable when we go to London."

She blinked several times, staring at the ring on her finger in surprise. It was a rose gold ring, and in the centre was an oval opal - her birthstone. The opal had a floral diamond halo and the band was also encrusted with diamonds. The opal seemed to glow from within; it was absolutely stunning.

It had the perfect balance, being elegantly beautiful without becoming gaudy.

She looked up at him and whispered breathlessly, "It is beautiful. _No replacement necessary._ Thank you."

A bit more of a tender look entered his eyes and his smile became softer. "No thanks are needed, my precious little kitten."

She shifted a bit, averting her eyes as a blush steadily grew on her face. "Well, then, ah... Let's go!"

With that, she hurriedly scampered up to the door and repeatedly pressed the doorbell. A few moments later, a familiar voice shouted that they were coming.

Sebastian noted Raven glancing down again at the ring. He stood a bit taller, his chest puffing out ever so slightly with pride.

Then, the door opened.

A moment of silence, before...

" _ **RAVEN?!"**_

Suddenly, Raven was yanked in the door, which promptly slammed in his face. Hysteria ensued inside the house.

He slowly blinked, standing there expressionlessly for several moments, before opening the door once more and slipping inside.

Sebastian stood to the side, watching as his mate's foster parents fawned over the girl, crying.

"We thought you were _dead!"_ The woman sobbed, holding Raven tightly. "Where in the world _were_ you?! _What happened?!"_

"Well, I'm _definitely_ not dead, and let's not go into that story right now," Raven wheezed, returning the embrace. "I'm here now. That's what matters. And there's someone I'd like you to meet."

As they pulled back, Raven glanced to the door and saw Sebastian had slipped in. She walked over to him, placing a hand on his arm. He smiled in greeting.

"This is my fiancé."

The demon bowed gracefully, a hand on his chest. "My name is Sebastian Michaelis. It is an honour to meet you."

As he straightened once more, he saw her father giving him a rather suspicious, squinting glare, and the mother staring at the two with risen eyebrows.

"Raven, honey, I think you've taken this 'big fan' thing a bit too far." The mother stated in a deadpan tone. "How long did _this_ one take you to find?" She asked, circling around a bemused Sebastian. "He's very good. This is a very, _very_ good cosplay."

Something died inside Raven at that moment. She closed her eyes as she realised that her mother _did indeed remember Sebastian._ _'How am I going to explain_ this, _now?'_ she wondered. _'Will she even_ believe _the truth?'_ "Mom... It's not what you think."

"Oh, _really?"_ She chuckled. "Then tell me what it is."

"Well, uh..." She looked down, shuffling her feet a bit. "It's... complicated."

"Welp, that does it for me!" Her father announced. "This is a Grace and Raven chat! I'll be down in my cave if ya need me. Let me know when the coast is clear."

Sebastian's head tilted in interest as the man walked off. He made as if to follow him when the now-dubbed Grace placed a hand on his chest to stop him.

"Uh, _no_ , _you're_ staying here, my dear future son-in-law." She dictated. "This is actually a Grace and Raven _and Sebastian_ chat."

"How about just Grace and Raven at first?" Raven suggested. At Grace's nod, she turned to Sebastian. "Sit down on the floor with your eyes closed. I'll be right back."

He rose an eyebrow but acquiesced, settling himself on the rugged floor. He listened intently as his mate walked away.

Suddenly, he heard a soft sound, followed by Raven's quiet murmur of, "Come here, sweetie."

Was that...?

 _IT WAS!_

The sound of his mate's quiet footsteps came closer, as did that beautiful sound. He found himself excitedly drumming his fingers together as they approached and she soon stood in front of him.

"I have a feeling you already know what's coming..." His mate stated, giggling a bit. "Open your eyes, Sebastian."

He obeyed, opening his eyes to see one of the most _beautiful_ cats he had ever seen. The cat was quietly purring, and meowing, and rubbing her face all over Raven's.

Ah, what a beautiful cat! Such beautiful, long, luxurious silver fur! Such enchanting, innocent emerald eyes! Such a small, lithe body!

Oh, the magnificence!

Back on the couch, Grace chuckled a bit as Sebastian practically melted under the purrs from the little kitty.

"Sebastian, I'd like you to meet Lady Jaina Proudmoore," Raven introduced, grinning.

"A fitting name for such a noble beauty," he sighed, closing his eyes as he cuddled Jaina close. He gently took a paw in his hand and rubbed it ever-so-softly. "She is a lady, indeed. So soft. Ah, so soft."

Raven moved over to a box hidden in the corner of the room and came back, holding it out to him. His eyes widened and he smiled when he recognised what she held. "Here you go. She likes playing, and you'll probably lure His Lordship out, too."

"His Lordship?" His head tilted to the side in curiosity as he danged the feather attached to the stick in front of Lady Jaina's face. He smiled fondly as Jaina reached up and smacked at it as she cuddled in his arms.

"Wow, she must really like you!" Grace mused. "She won't play with me, even if I do exactly what you're doing."

"Still?" Raven laughed.

"Yep! She'll play with you or Jo, but not with me!" she pouted.

"I blame Fluffy-butt," Raven decided.

"Fluffy-butt?" Sebastian asked as Jaina leapt off his lap for more intense play. She darted back and forth, chasing the ever-elusive feathers.

"Yep! That's our third cat," Raven chirped, "and the old man of the group. He only tolerates everyone but my mom. He _loooooves_ her. Here, I'll go look for-"

She broke off as a dark grey blurr streaked across the room, pouncing on the feather toy, heedless of the fact that Lady Jaina was already gnawing on it and pulling the stick out of a surprised Sebastian's hand.

Lady Jaina Proudmoore fluffed up, growling darkly and hissing.

His Lordship ignored her warnings.

The Lady did not take kindly to this, and, with a dainty raise of her paw, thwapped him three times on the noggin.

His Lordship did not take kindly to this, and they were soon in a brawl, and His Lordship was soon chasing Jaina out of the room, leaving a bewildered Sebastian behind.

Raven cleared her throat. "Ah-hem. Sebastian, I'd like you to meet His Lordship, formally known as... er... uhm... Earl Ciel Stapleton-Wright Phantomhive." She finished quickly, glancing away. "I'm going to go find Fluffy-butt now! Seeya!" And with that, she rushed out of the room, leaving Sebastian and Grace alone.

After a brief pause, Sebastian chuckled quietly, musing at the very idea that there was a cat named Ciel who was apparently just as much of a brat as his namesake.

"So have the two of you set a date yet, Sebastian?" Grace asked, a bit nervously.

"No, not as of yet, ma'am. We have just got engaged and are trying to enjoy that for a bit before all the planning and preparations. We are in no hurry." Sebastian replied, hoping this would settle Grace's concerns some.

"Good. She is so young, I would prefer her to take her time before such a big step. Thank you for realising that."

Raven walked back in with a bit larger of a cat in her arms. The cat wanted to be put down but didn't fight overly much.

"Oh, this must be Fluffy-butt!" Sebastian observed, perking up a bit. "May I hold him?"

Fluffy-butt heard that and promptly jumped out of Raven's arms and ran over to Grace for protection from the stranger. Raven made a strange noise.

"I wouldn't if I were you," Raven deadpanned, pulling up the sleeves of her dress to reveal faded scars, and one, _new_ scratch. "He scratches. It took a long time for him to tolerate me holding him. Grumpy-butt, you got me _again_."

"Honestly, Sir Fluffy-butt, that's not very nice," Sebastian chided, continuing past Raven's sudden hysterical laughter to pick up the cat and hold it in his arms on its back. The cat squirmed, smacking him several times. "You know she'd never hurt you, nor would anyone else in this house. You shouldn't scratch my kitten like that." Fluffy-butt froze, gazing directly into Sebastian's eyes. Their gazes locked for several long moments before Fluffy-butt relaxed, began to purr as Sebastian cooed and pet his stomach. Raven and Grace watched in shock as Sebastian sat on the couch, cooing at Fluffy-butt as he pet him. "That's a good kitty... Oh, you're so _soft..."_

"No... _way,"_ Grace gaped. "I've _never_ seen him act like that with _anyone_ but me - and he has _a reason_ to like me!"

"To give you a hint, my dad said that Fluffy couldn't die because mom was too stubborn to let him," Raven explained.

When Sebastian looked up, curious, Grace continued. "I found him in a shelter I volunteer in. He had been absolutely _mauled_ by a dog; poor little Fluffy was almost dead and everyone else had given up on him because his injuries were just _that_ bad. He needed _constant_ , intense care that they weren't able to provide there. I just couldn't _bear_ the thought of giving up on him, so they let me take him home. I took off of work and cared for him 24/7 until he was back on his feet. The little bugger has been stuck to me ever since." She reached over, gently scratching Fluffy's forehead, the fluffy cat purring louder in response.

"How admirable," Sebastian murmured, looking down at the cat with fondness. "You truly do deserve the loyalty he gives you."

Grace smiled softly before giving Sebastian a weary look. "Thank you. Now, I need an explanation. Forgive my brashness."

Swiftly, Grace reached over to Sebastian's left hand and yanked his glove down.

Fluffy-butt leapt off Sebastian's lap and ran out of the room.

Sebastian's eyes widened in surprise, his eyes and his mark briefly glowing in unison before fading back to their usual dullness. "My lady..."

"No," Grace breathed. "That's impossible."

With speed known only to mothers, she performed the Mom Spit Test on Sebastian's mark.

It did not so much as smear (though Sebastian cringed in disgust).

She tried again, rubbing faster and harder, but to no avail. She pulled his hand closer and leaned in, peering closely at it.

Raven stared at the scene, utter mortification plastered over her face. _'I can do nothing. Why are you doing this, mom?'_

"It doesn't even look like a tattoo," she muttered, pale. "And it glowed. _I saw that."_ She looked up at Sebastian, her jaw clenched. "I _know_ what I _saw_ , and I _saw that glow._ I don't know _how_ but _you're real._ You're _him._ You're _you."_

"My lady..." He murmured, eyes slightly narrowed.

Suddenly, the woman's finger was straight in his face. "YOU CAN'T HAVE MY BABY! I RAISED HER TO BE A GOOD CATHOLIC! SHE'S A GOOD GIRL! THE LORD WON'T LET YOU HAVE HER SOUL!"

"Mom, it's not like that!" Raven attempted to placate her. "I swear!"

"OVER MY DEAD BODY YOU'RE LEAVING WITH MY DAUGHTER!" She hollered. "RAVEN, YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE! YOU'RE STAYING HERE!"

Raven made yet another strange noise as her mother reached for the phone, putting in a _very_ familiar number. "Sebastian, go down to the man-cave. I need to talk to her alone."

Sebastian stood, pulling his glove back on before bowing to both women. "Yes, my kitten. Well then, please excuse me."

The whistle of a tea kettle sounded from the kitchen and someone answered Grace's call.

With that, he left the room without another word.

Raven sat Grace down to talk, taking her hand in hers. "Mom... Before you try to _exorcise_ him, can we talk?"

"Alright, give me a few moments, then," Grace breathed. "I'll try to calm down and I need to gather my thoughts."

Raven gently took the phone and held it to her ear. "Everything's fine. I'm just explaining what's going on to Mom. We haven't finished discussing anything, so please stay calm. I'll call you later or come over to see you."

A moment later, she and the recipient of the call hung up.

A few minutes later, as Raven was quietly explaining what had happened these past two weeks, Sebastian came in and served the ladies their tea in silence, noting how gently Raven was speaking to her foster mother.

Taking another cup of tea from the kitchen, he obeyed his kitten's previous instruction and went down to the "man-cave" to sit with Joseph.

Upon entering the man-cave, Joseph turned to him with a sarcastic smirk. "A smart man knows when to make a quick and quiet exit."

Sebastian lightly chuckled in response. "My dear Raven... _suggested_ I make an exit."

Joseph snickered. "A smart Raven knows when people should make a quick and quiet exit. Dare I ask?"

"Do you really want to know?" Sebastian was amused.

"No," Joseph laughed. "I'll hear _aaaall_ about it when you leave, anyway. In great detail. Multiple times."

Sebastian merely chuckled once more. "That aside, there _is_ something I wished to discuss with you…"

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Grace slowly exhaled. "Okay, I'm ready to talk. I'm sorry about that. I was acting on emotions rather than thoughts and I was rude to a guest."

Raven nodded. "We understand why."

"He's a _demon_." Both stated.

"Oh, God..." Grace groaned, covering her face with her hands. "I let a _demon_ in my house..."

And thus the questions began.

"How long have you two been together?"

"About a week."

"Don't you think you're moving a bit... fast?"

"You don't know what's happened in the past two weeks..."

"So fill me in." Grace crossed her legs, looking at Raven with raised eyebrows.

"... Give me a minute or two to gather my thoughts."

Downstairs, Sebastian mused to himself that he finally realised _exactly_ where Raven had gotten that aspect of her personality from. He considered that a virtue.

Soon, Raven had readied her reply. "I had some... problems... in the foster home I was in on my birthday and I was kicked out. It was in the middle of the night, so I went to Kyra's house since it was closest to me. I woke up with this book."

Raven rifled through her backpack and pulled out the book that had started it all.

"I thought it was a gift from Kyra, but it turned out to be so much _more_ than that."

Grace wordlessly snatched the book from her hands, flipping through it.

"Well, we saw this thing in the beginning of the book and Kyra was like, 'Let's do the ritual'-"

"-And you did it." Grace interrupted.

Sheepish, Raven glanced away. "It's not an excuse, but I was too tired to put up too much of a fight. I argued not to for a little bit but gave up since she was just trying to distract me and make me feel better. Trying to lighten me up for my birthday."

Grace shrugged at that. "Makes sense, since it has the whole 'Black Butler' and 'Sebastian' vibe to it. So where did the book come from?"

Raven hesitated. "I think it would be best for Sebastian to be in this part of the conversation. I'm sure he can explain it better."

"... Alright." Grace slowly nodded. "Call him up. Don't forget to toss a beer to Jo to keep him occupied."

With a laugh, Raven grabbed a beer from the kitchen and headed down the stairs. "Sebastian, come up now!" She called as she descended to the man-cave.

"Hey! What about me?" A voice whined in reply.

"No, Jo, you stay down there!"

"Jesus! Some people's kids! Well, could somebody grab me a beer? I'm done with this tea shit!"

Sebastian, who had just appeared at the bottom of the stairs, looked rather offended at that.

Raven merely laughed and passed him to hand Jo his beer before coming back up the stairs.

Raven settled back on the couch with Grace and Sebastian knelt on the ground to give Lady Jaina Proudmoore, who had sprawled on the ground, some pets.

"So, about the augury," Raven paused. "This is going to sound stupid and I literally just found out myself, courtesy of-" she waved toward Sebastian, "- but... the Sisters of Fate."

For several long moments, Grace stared blankly at Raven, as if expecting her to say it was a mere joke. "But that's... supposed to be just a story."

"Oh, no, I can assure you that they are _quite_ real," Sebastian piped up from his spot on the floor.

"And _he's_ supposed to be a story, too," Raven supplied.

"... Okay." Grace frowned. "Putting that aside for later, this hasn't explained why you didn't come to me earlier."

Raven sighed. "Yeah, that 'ritual' Kyra convinced me to do... It wasn't exactly a _summoning_ ritual. It didn't bring _The Sebastian_ to _us_. It brought _us_ to _The Sebastian_."

Sebastian glanced at her, amused. "Well... I suppose that is _one_ way to phrase it." He looked at the cat toy that Lady was chewing on. "This truly _is_ a _wonderful_ creation, my kitten."

Raven paused for a moment. "According to _him_ , I am destined to be his mate."

"Okay, when you say _him_ ," Grace interrupted, eyes narrowed. "Do you mean _him_ -" she pointed to Sebastian, who had a face full of cat, "or _Him?"_ she pointed upward.

Raven hesitated. "Well, Sebastian's the one who explained to me that I am fated to be his mate... But didn't we learn in _church_ that-" she pointed to the sky, " _He_ is the only one who can give the gift of _love_. So isn't it the same thing?"

There was a long stretch of silence in the room as even Sebastian stopped playing with the cat to look at Raven, his eyes hardened, _guarded_.

Eventually, Grace broke the silence. "Why would the Lord give the gift of love to a demon? I don't understand."

Raven looked down silently. "Well, mom... You did say that you raised me to be a good Catholic, and we were taught that it's not up to us to question God."

"Yeah, I don't do very well on that part," Grace grumbled.

"Me, either," Raven laughed quietly.

"Do you trust him?" Grace asked, taking Raven's hand in hers once more.

"Uhh... Him, or...?" Raven inquired, pointing at both potential "Him"s once again.

"Him!" She pointed at Sebastian.

After glancing at the demon, she sighed. "Yeah, I already went through this whole 'trust' thing. This whole ordeal has been rather traumatizing and I'm still trying to sort things out myself. I'll be quite frank. My brain tells me not to trust him, but every other fiber of my being tells me I can. Since I've been with him, every single thing he has done, to my knowledge, has been for my benefit, to take care of and protect me. To make me feel more comfortable, he's even treating Kyra like family - and they don't exactly get along the best."

 _Thump!_

The two women looked in the direction of the noise to see Sebastian laying on his back, all three cats crawling all over him.

A look of utter bliss was on his face.

Grace hummed thoughtfully. "I've never seen the cats willingly playing with a stranger before. _They_ obviously trust him."

Raven grinned a bit. "Dude, cats are _always_ all over him."

"But Lady doesn't like anybody but _you_."

"And Fluffy-butt only loves _you,"_ Raven countered.

They looked over to Sebastian. Both of the aforementioned unfriendly cats were curled up against him, purring as he pet them and just overall looking rather content.

"So this spell actually took you back to the late 1800's London?" Grace changed the subject, looking rather serious once more.

Raven quickly sobered up as well. "Yes, and another timeline, as I'm fairly certain that the Funtom company has never existed in ours. But, it doesn't follow the exact timeline from the manga. There are distinct differences that I've noticed from talking to them, especially in Sebastian's personality. Ciel is basically the same, but Sebastian is markedly different."

At that, Sebastian looked rather pleased. "I'm so glad you've separated the two, kitten!"

" _SEE?!"_ Raven snapped, straightening up a bit. " _Completely_ out of character! If this were _that_ Sebastian, he probably would've just smirked or said something sarcastic or something! But _he_ just-! Ergh!" Raven waved an expressive hand at him.

At that, Sebastian stood, leaving the cats glowering at him for disturbing their fun time. "Excuse me, my ladies, but I've noticed you've finished your tea. Wouldn't some chamomile tea be perfect just now? Allow me to serve you."

Grace perked up. "I'd love some, but Raven absolutely loathes and despises tea with every fibre of her being, per her own description."

" _Mom._ " Raven moaned. " _Why?_ I was _pretending to like it_ and I was doing pretty good at it!"

"And how was that working out for you in Victorian England?" Grace replied smoothly.

Raven exercised her right to remain silent.

Sebastian stared in abject horror. Inside, he was screaming.

' _I served her so much tea._ _ **So. Much. Tea. I made my kitten drink something she despises and failed to notice. I have failed as both a butler and a mate.'**_

"You wound me, my kitten," he spoke, disappointment etched in his face. "You have deceived me."

"It's _Victorian England,"_ Raven huffed. "Just England would be bad enough. How am I to tell someone that I _despise tea?_ I was hoping it would grow on me."

"And how did that work out for you?" Grace replied.

"Still tastes like piss water," she muttered.

Sebastian recoiled in shock, his mouth hanging a bit open.

Suddenly, he recalled every possible sign that he could have seen that now screamed, _"I DO NOT LIKE TEA!"_

Every time she complimented the tea, she complimented his _method_ of making tea, not the flavour.

She often finished water and asked for more than two refills, while she never asked for a refill of tea; he always saw it was empty and took it upon himself to refill it.

She often finished her water and not the tea.

When she ate something she liked, and when he gave her a glass of lemonade, she _always_ complimented the taste, and not once had she actually complimented the taste of tea.

 _Why,_ he wondered. _Why_ had she not told him when he had been so oblivious? When she utterly despised it to the point of calling it _piss water?_

Wearily watching his expression as he considered this new development, Grace gently pat the couch beside her and Raven. "Sebastian... Forget the tea. Come sit down now."

He silently obeyed, settling down beside Raven.

"Tell me, why do you think Raven is your mate? And what exactly _is_ a mate to you?"

' _I believe I have found where my kitten has learned her interrogation skills from. She had two good teachers in both her foster mother and Kyra's. All ask surprisingly good questions and seem quite strong-willed.'_ "I believe my kitten has asked me quite a similar question before," he mused.

Raven nodded. "I asked you that exact question the very day I met you, although I don't think I was quite as polite."

"I'm sure the circumstances demanded that." Grace justified.

"Given the circumstances, I think I was a bit _too_ polite," Raven sniffed.

"I do believe I apologised, though you are correct. I cannot argue that point." Sebastian mused before turning back to her mother. "As I told Miss Raven, this situation is new to me as well. It is not often that a demon, especially one such as I, is given a mate. As such, to know what a mate is to me, I can only know what I wish for her to be. I wish for her to be my eternal companion; someone who will be with me for the rest of my eternity. Most of all, I wish for her to be happy."

' _For me to be happy?'_ Raven stared at him in shock. _'That's not at all what I had gotten from that conversation. I got "Yeah, it'd be nice if you were willing but you're gonna be with me forever either way." He_ seems _so sincere- but is he? Have his intentions changed from that night?'_

Sensing her stare, Sebastian turned and smiled at her.

' _He's saying all the right things. But he's a demon. How does this play into his role as a demon?'_ Grace frowned. "... Oookay. How does this play into your role as a demon? Because that isn't very demony."

He turned back to Grace and gave her a small smirk. "It has only been one week. At the moment, I intend to keep the two separate for her own well-being, however, I am not yet sure if that will be possible. All I know is that her happiness brings me joy."

"Yes, please do. I'd like to be separated from your soul-eating habits, thank you very much. It's hard enough with Ciel, being that _he's a child,"_ Raven growled, gritting her teeth and glowering at him.

He closed his eyes, not losing his smile. "I do apologise. If I had known you were coming..."

"Yeah, this conversation does _not_ have a good ending for either of you, so let's change it," Grace interrupted. "You said 'given a mate'. _Who_ is doing the giving? Is it really the Lord?"

"I do wish I had a concrete answer for you, yet all I have are rumours. Most rumours do indeed tell that they are a gift from... Him, however, none have any good reason as to _why_ He would do such a thing after all this time. We simply do not know whether it truly is Him or it is a third party, an outside force, meddling in our affairs."

Grace slowly exhaled, her thoughts swirling. "I'm just about ready to call it quits already, but there are still some things I need to know. A certain question hasn't been answered yet."

Sebastian let out a soft sigh, knowing which question she was referring to. "I suppose the best way to phrase _how_ I know she is my mate is that I am attracted to her like I have been no others in all of my long years. Even when she is angry at me, the fact that she is merely noticing my existence brings me joy. You have to understand, I have been alone for thousands of years."

After a moment of silence, Raven muttered, "Even so, it would've been nice to, you know, _been given a choice_."

"I gave you a choice," he replied simply.

"Not that kind of choice," she retorted.

"What?" Grace asked, confused.

"Nevermind," Raven huffed. "You don't want to know."

"O...kay?" She gave them an odd look.

" _Raven, sweety, could you bring me some pretzels?"_

Raven quickly stood. "Yeah, okay!" She called, headed off.

With a sigh, Grace sat back a bit. "Ahh, Joseph, he's so nosey. He wants to know what's all going on in here and if she needs any backup. Some people never change. He'd just tell me none of this is any of my damned business anyway. But it is. I consider her my daughter." She paused. "Actually, hold on a minute. Let me go get something."

She left the room, returning moments later with a small box.

"I know it's too soon, but I want you to have this for when the time is right and you are both sure. This was my great grandmother's wedding ring and engagement ring. My mother gave this to me when she died and asked me to pass it down to my children when they found love. I had no one to leave it to as we had no children. But Raven? I don't care that she isn't my biological child. She's still my daughter."

Sebastian accepted the small box, opening it to gaze at the rings. "They are quite beautiful and made even more beautiful by the sentiment. Thank you." He closed the box and slid it in his pocket. "What are the customs and traditions of proposing in this time? I am sure it may be different."

Grace let out an amused laugh. "Raven would appreciate more of the old-fashioned proposals. A _private_ proposal. In front of _no one_."

"... I have never heard of there being an audience for a proposal."

She grinned a bit. "People in this time period have gotten a little... crazy. Let's just say Raven has been very vocal about her disapproval and what she'd prefer."

"Ah. I see."

"Sebastian," Grace said, her entire demeanour suddenly shifting. "Why can't Raven and Kyra just stay in this world while you're finishing your contract?"

Sebastian sat in silence for several moments, his gaze averted to the side.

How should he phrase this...?

"My lady," he began, "while I do acknowledge that this situation is not what my kitten would prefer, the safest place for her is by my side, where no one can bring her to any more harm." He stated, then a sly look entered his eyes. "Although, if my kitten does wish for the contract to be over... I can expedite it. I'm sure she wouldn't quite like that, though."

At that, Grace's jaw clench and fire entered her eyes.

"As I expected," he said simply.

" _Or,_ you could just _let him go,_ " she replied scathingly.

He hummed, sitting back a bit. "If it were possible, I would do whatever Miss Raven desired to make her happy to stay with me, however, sadly, that is not how the real world works. The fact is that I am a demon. As a demon, my form of nourishment comes in that of human souls. My young master, regardless of his age, summoned me and made the decision to make a contract with me. This is the way things are."

A hint of desperation entered Grace's voice. "Can't _anybody_ change the way things are?"

He paused for a long moment, his gaze darkening as he looked _somewhere_. "Only one... _**and He's not talking to me.**_ **"**

An edge, a _venom_ , entered his voice at his last comment and Grace shivered, goosebumps appearing on her arms as the hair on her arms and the back of her neck stood on edge.

He remained silent, so she took it upon herself to... _change the subject_.

"So... how would you like to learn how to make Raven's favourite brownies?"


	24. Chapter Twenty-Three

_**Chapter Twenty-three:**_

 _Mom. Why?_

* * *

 _Raven sighed, coming up from the man-cave after her chat_ with Joseph. He had been rather concerned, asking if they needed him up there after all. After she assured him that she had it handled, he had patted her on the head, praising her, _"Good girl! I knew you had it handled! Don't forget I'm down here if you need me. I_ will _back you up!"_

If only he knew.

Raven reached the kitchen to a scene she never would have expected.

Sebastian was cooking with her mother, something she had been missing doing with her for years, but that wasn't the real issue here.

Sebastian was wearing the apron her mother had given her.

The apron that said Jr. Chef on it in hot pink.

The apron whose background colour was a soft pink.

The apron that had pink ruffles all around the edges.

Suddenly, an image of Lizzy putting the pink, frilly bonnet on him in the anime popped into her head.

She took one more look at him, turned around and left the kitchen to laugh hysterically. Once she'd regained her composure, she headed back to the kitchen, a goofy smile still on her face.

"So you asked HIM to bake with you and not me? Even though he doesn't even know how to use our oven…!" Raven pouted, putting on her best sad puppy dog face.

"Oh, Raven, I remember watching that show; this man is a master chef, and it isn't hard for him to learn." Her mother laughed. She turned to Sebastian. "This is a minor temper tantrum - jealousy, believe it or not. It was just for show." She laughed again.

"Actually, I was just being sarcastic," Raven deadpanned.

Sebastian frowned, tilting his head to the side. "Then how do you tell if she's truly upset?"

Grace hummed. "You'll know she's angry when she gets _that_ tone of voice and gives you _that look._ The _glare._ "

"The glare?"

Grace solemnly nodded. "Yes, the glare. You'll know it when you get it." She shivered.

He pondered this for a moment before flinching. "I believe I may have been the recipient of it once."

Grace was already shaking her head. "If you _believe_ you _may have_ , then you didn't, because you would _know_. It was probably the medium one."

"Uhm... Mom?"

"If it was the _really angry one_ , there would be no question in your mind that you were the recipient of it. It's not a glare that you forget."

"I see..." He murmured thoughtfully, placing a hand on his chin.

"But when she's _REEAAALLY_ angry," Grace continued, stirring the pot, "that's a WHOLE 'nother story. You'll have a _whole_ lot of making up to do. See, whenever I've seen Raven get _that_ mad, _she's always been right._ She doesn't get that upset unless she _knows_ , beyond a shadow of a doubt, that's she's _right_ and you did something _wrong_. Usually, it's _painfully obvious_ to _anyone_ looking at the situation that she's right, and she doesn't know _why you can't get that._ That's why she gets so angry."

"And how do you tell if it's quite _that_ bad?"

"I'm right here, you know."

"Hush, child!" Grace chided. "Oh, _honey,"_ she scoffed, "like I said, _you'll know._ Slightly raised voice, _tone_ of voice, and _eyes that shoot out daggers."_ When Sebastian's lips quirked up, she shook her head. "It's no laughing matter. No matter how cute you think she might be, when she's that pissed, _your life will suck._ You will be _miserable_. She _will not talk to you_ unless it's about the reason you disappointed her like that, and during the entire discussion, you will be getting _the look of sheer disappointment_. She's stubborn as my mother. She _will shun you_ until you apologise. _I've been there. For weeks. Don't do it._ It isn't worth it, and _you are wrong_ , as I've said before. I'm speaking from experience here." Grace sighed.

"You make me sound like such a bitch!"

"But the worst part is, _she has every right to act like that_ because she never gets like that unless you _seriously fuck up_ and do something that will make her lose _all respect and trust for you."_ Grace passionately exclaimed, giving Sebastian a steady look. "Now, do you _really_ want to start from scratch earning _that_ back?"

Sebastian shivered, bowing his head down in acknowledgement.

"Am I invisible or something?!"

"You _really_ need to know this, _especially_ if you're going to get married. This is part of your life, and you _need_ to take my advice to heart."

Sebastian swept his hand to his chest, bowing deeply and graciously. "My dear lady, I thank you for this information and advice. I am quite lucky to have you as my future mother-in-law."

Grace coughed nervously into her hand, slightly embarrassed by the gesture. "Anyway. Now that we have the oven heating up, you make the batter. It is _so_ easy - just one pot! These are seriously the best brownies ever and they are both of the girls' favourites. Now, Kyra likes them with nuts - I have used walnuts or pecans and toasted them first - and Raven likes them without the nuts, but both girls will eat them either way. Haha! You could just do what I do: make the brownie batter, put it in the pan, and just put the toasted nuts on top of half the pan. Problem solved!"

Soon, the brownies were in the oven and the three were chatting idly.

"Would it be okay if I stay the night?" Raven asked.

"Oh, my dear girl, of course you can! You don't even have to ask!" Grace exclaimed. "But what about your, um... fiancé?"

"Oh, uh..." She looked up at him, slightly panicking. "Him? Oh, well... uh... I thought maybe he could stay, too?" Raven suggested, squirming, obviously uncomfortable. She glanced up at Sebastian's _very surprised_ expression and huffed. "Oh, stop it! This isn't Victorian England!"

"Kitten...!"

Grace made a rather strange groan. "Well, you _are_ engaged, after all. I supposed I can trust you-" she glanced at Sebastian, remembering what he _is_ , and reiterated: "- Well, I can trust _Raven_ to behave herself." Her narrowed eyes snapped to Sebastian. " _You_ will be on your best _gentlemanly_ behaviour."

"Thank you, mom! I can _guarantee_ that nothing will happen. I swear on my life," Raven promised.

"Yeah, yeah," Grace replied, still squinting her eyes a bit at Sebastian. "I guess now would be a better time than any to show you your room. We'll call your dad up first."

"Oh! I was also hoping to visit Rona today, just for a little while," Raven piped up. "If there's a best time to go over there, let me know." She giggled a bit. "I don't want to miss dinner."

' _Not surprised at that one.'_ Dramatically, Grace whirled around, pointing a finger at Raven. "Damn straight! _No one_ misses dinner in MY house!"

"By the way, what _is_ for dinner?" Raven asked, a teasing note to her voice.

"Hell if I know!" Grace laughed flippantly. "But it's gonna be _good._ Jo, get your ass up here!"

"Alright, sweety!"

"If you'd like some help with-" Sebastian began to offer, only to be cut off by a finger in his face.

"NO!" Grace roared. "You can make lunch, but _I'm_ making dinner! I'M GOING TO FEED MY BABY! YOU CAN'T THAT FROM ME!"

Sighing, Raven face-palmed in the background. _'Mom. Why?'_

"Very well then, my lady," he smiled. Inside, his mind began working on _what he could make on such short notice, what they had, their new appliances, did the young master's order to at least pretend to cook as a human extend to here?_

Suddenly, Grace froze as Jo walked up the stairs. Slowly, she turned to Raven. "Uh..." She laughed weakly. "You might want to keep Sebastian down here while you... _rearrange_ things in your room."

Raven internally groaned. "What... did you do... to my room?"

Grace gently patted her on the shoulder as Jo snickered in the background. "Great things. You'll love it. Then you'll want to hide it."

Slowly, she exhaled, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Sebastian, feel free to explore the kitchen. I'm sure you want to since you're making lunch."

An amused Sebastian bowed and took his leave to the kitchen as Raven led the trio upstairs.

Sebastian busied himself searching through the cabinets and refrigerator, looking for an inspiration for lunch.

Hesitantly, Raven opened the door to her room and peered inside. A moment later, both parents chuckled at the quiet squeal coming from their daughter.

"Well, whaddya think?" Joseph teased, clapping a hand on her shoulder.

"It's _beautiful_ ," she squealed, "and it has to go." She turned to look at them with a rather sheepish smile. "This is awesome and I really love it but it means something _extremely_ different to me now and I have to hide it," she laughed. "Two weeks ago and this would be my _dream room._ You guys are seriously _the best._ "

"D'awww, we love you too, baby." Joseph laughed, ruffling her hair before turning to Grace with a teasing look. "How come you never made a room like this in _my_ honour?"

"Yeah, you _wish_ ," Grace scoffed. "Raven, sweety, do you need help with this or will you be fine?"

"I'll be fine," Raven assured. "I kinda want to explore and enjoy it first."

"Alright," Grace smiled. "Don't open the present on the bed until after you come home from visiting Rona and we're here. It's a special present."

"Okay," she nodded.

"Have fun! If you need help, let me know," Jo said, turning and walking away.

"Seeya!" Raven waved as the two went back downstairs. Once they were gone, she slipped inside, quietly closing the door behind her.

She silently stared around the room, thinking.

' _Even one week ago, I would have been the girl who_ loved _this. In one week, I've changed so much.'_


	25. Chapter Twenty-Four

_**Chapter Twenty-four:**_

 _Taking Care of Business_

* * *

" _So, how long do you think_ we'll be staying in London?" Kyra mused, critically eyeing a dress before putting it back in the wardrobe with a shake of her head.

"Well, I'm not sure, Milady," Mey-Rin hesitantly replied. "It varies quite a bit. Sometimes, the young master finishes his business in just a day or so, but sometimes it can take upwards of a fortnight, yes it does! This time, the young master instructed us to prepare for at least a week, so we'll be packing eight dresses, yes we will. I'll prepare the petticoats and undergarments myself, since you would like to choose your dresses. Please make sure to pick at least one proper for parties, since the season hasn't quite wrapped up yet."

"Are these okay?" Kyra immediately asked, whirling around with an armful of the dresses with detachable skirts.

Mey-Rin turned and chuckled. "For everyday, yes. For parties, though, you'll need a more proper dress."

Kyra paused before letting out a long, weary sigh. "You mean the big... _poofy_ ones, don't you?"

"I'm afraid so, Milady," she giggled.

"I'll need to deliberate on that," Kyra grumpily replied.

"In any case, that potion Mister Sebastian gave you is doing absolute _wonders_ for your hair, yes it is!" Mey-Rin squealed. "It's already meeting your shoulders after being so short, and it's only been a week!"

"Yeah," Kyra sighed, pausing her dress-finding to fiddle with a strand of her hair. "It's working a bit _too_ well, if you ask _me_. I thought I'd have more time to get used to it. Tastes horrible, too. I'm not exactly looking forward to my afternoon tea." She scowled. " _Ugh_. I'd really just rather take one per day, at least for a few days! It's just growing _so_ fast and it tastes _awful!"_

"Well, I can't see Mister Sebastian seeing too much harm in just a few days, seeing how much your hair has grown already. You look like a new woman already!" Mey-Rin smiled comfortingly. "I myself absolutely _love_ my hair being long. The barber just cut far too much off last time..."

"Oh! Well, then why don't you have the second dosage for a little while?" Kyra beamed.

"Oh, I couldn't!" Mey-Rin squeaked. "It isn't my place, no it isn't!"

"Come on!" Kyra urged. "I'm offering! I wouldn't mind at all! It's actually better this way, so it doesn't go to waste!"

"Well..." Mey-Rin paused, quietly considering. "If Milady insists, then I suppose it'd be rude of me to refuse..."

' _And this way, Sebastian won't notice it's not disappearing as fast. It's a win-win situation!'_ Kyra evilly thought to herself. "So it's decided!" She beamed.

"Yes, Milady!" Mey-Rin smiled a bit. _'Miladies are really so kind!'_

"Alright," Kyra said, taking a dress out. "I think I'll take this one, but I'm going to take a walk to think on it. I won't be long, I promise."

"Yes, Milady. If I'm not here when you're back, I'll be in the dining hall polishing the railing and banisters."

"Alright, thank you Mey-Rin," Kyra said as she exited her bedroom. _'How boring, looking at dresses. All I have wanted to do is go outside, and now I am not sure if I will be allowed to go outside in London without the skirt. I am not even sure there is a private garden there or not.'_ Kyra's brows creased and she let out a _"hmph,"_ annoyed at the move to London."Ah, no rain yet!" Kyra mused as she ran outside to enjoy the fresh air.

She had just approached the gazebo area when she heard a voice call out to her.

"Ahwis hopingtae catch up wi` ye 'ere, my fair lassie!"

* * *

 ** _OoO_**

* * *

He followed them from a distance, pleased that the other hadn't located him yet, wondering why the carriage had suddenly stopped in such an odd location.

The quiet murmur of talking was followed shortly by a quiet energy sweeping the area, leaving a silent warning in its wake to _stay away._

He scoffed. ' _What an overprotective little.._.'

A surge of power, gigantuan in mass, flared for just a few seconds before it disappeared... leaving just a wisp of its energy behind.

He hummed. If only those two left, then that meant...

But he had no time to finish that thought, for, within moments, another massive energy came into this world, higher in the sky.

A brilliant golden light swayed and formed into a light ball before erupting and pulsating. A spot formed in the centre before it grew, it swelled, a deep, swallowing black in the heart of the gorgeous radiance. A terrible foreboding sense wafted off of the anomaly as the black and gold intertwined, coexisting in a form similar to yin and yang and yet more malevolent, more aggressive.

Within moments, _they arrived_ , _lured_ by _his_ power.

Wasting no time, he took this as his cue to make his leave.

' _This area is getting very popular. Interesting how quickly that happened.'_

A smirk tugged at his lips.

' _If I tell Sebastian about this, it can help to convince him I mean his lassie no harm.'_

His smirk quickly grew as he continued a previous thought.

' _Now that those two left, the way is clear. It's about time for me to catch up with that wee lassie.'_

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Kyra froze, coming to a screeching halt from her jog around the garden, whipping around to face the speaker, who merely let out an amused chuckle.

' _Oh. My. Lord. Heeeeello!'_ Kyra took a deep breath, eyeing him curiously.

There was a man standing where she had been running mere moments ago. He stood tall, clothed in what was easily recognisable as a traditional Scottish garment, kilt and all.

' _Ooh-la-l- WAIT!'_ Her eyes widened. _'He was NOT there just a second ago!'_

"It feels lik' tis bin langer than it haes that a've bin wanting tae catch up wi` ye."

There was a short breath of silence between them.

"What? Sorry, _what_ did you say?" Kyra stammered while noting that her heartbeat had gotten faster just looking at the stranger.

This feeling... This _odd_ feeling seemed strangely familiar...

She immediately recalled just last night, during the Hallow's Eve party.

What she sensed on the roof...

Her eyes marginally widened. _'I'm not sure if this is safe.'_

He chuckled as he continued walking, it almost seeming as though he were... circling her...?

She edged away uncomfortably.

"Ah said, it feels lik' tis bin langer than it haes that a've bin wanting tae catch up wi` ye," he repeated, a bit slower.

"You've been... wanting to _catch up with me?_ I'm sorry, do I know you?" Apprehension turned into momentary confusion. There's _no way in Hell_ she would have forgotten _this guy._

"O' coorse, lassie. Weren't ye keekin at me lest nicht? Ah thought ye saw me." Amusement twinkled in this stranger's strangely coloured eyes. Green, yet with a hint of red weaving its way throughout- wait, when had he gotten close enough for her to notice that?!

She had slowly been edging toward the manor as he circled her, but suddenly she realised she had been forced deeper into the garden. Somehow, he had herded her _further_ from the manor!

Immediately, her mindset shifted.

' _No more ga-ga Scottish brogue. This cutie's up to something. Not. Good.'_

"Ah wis gey surprised tae see a lassie lik' ye running aroond lik' that! Tis gey admirable that ye tak' care o' yersel'. Nae mony humans dae, especially th' nobility wummin," he nearly purred, his breath tickling her cheek.

She stopped walking, frozen. _'Humans...?'_

Slowly, she shifted slightly to stare at him out of the corner of her eyes.

' _I was right. He's. Not. Human.'_

A lump formed in her throat as she internally began panicking. _Sebastian wasn't here to protect her if needed. What should she do?_ What _could_ she do?

Apparently, she had been staring too long. She jerked out of her stupor when he bellowed a laugh.

"Awright, lassie! Dae ye lik' whit ye see? A lot o' lassies wonder whit's under this kilt, bit ah shan't shaw ye th'day." He rose an eyebrow, looking her up and down as if she were naked, though rather teasingly.

She grit her teeth, her panic turning into anger. "Oh, _ha ha ha,_ very funny! _Rude!_ " She sneered. The moment the words left her lips, she choked. She didn't want to anger him when she was this far from the house... and Ciel, the one who could _summon_ Sebastian.

He chuckled deeply, gently pressing his forehead against hers. "Ah think a'm oncom tae lik' ye, lassie."

Her confusion spread once more. Was he saying he liked her? He was hard to understand... She voiced her thoughts. "It's hard for me to understand what you're saying."

He laughed again. "Ah, th' sassenach ur aye sae dunderheided. A'richt, ah will huv a go tae sassenach it mair."

She merely stared blankly at him. "Did you just call me stupid?"

"Aye! Ah criede ye stupid English, tae!"

Fury overwhelmed her. "I'M NOT STUPID, AND I'M NOT ENGLISH EITHER! I'M AN _AMERICAN,_ AND AN _INTELLIGENT_ ONE, TOO!" She roared, shoving him hard away from her. "And YOU are VERY RUDE! GOOD DAY, SIR!"

With that, she whirled around and began storming back to the manor.

With a bellowing laugh, he let her go. "Ah will come back efter tea th' nicht! We kin dae this again!"

Her response was a simple middle finger in the air, though... for some reason, she looked forward to it and knew she would show up.

' _She's got spunk,'_ he mused.

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

"Oh, mom, I really wish I could talk to you now. I need you," Kyra said quietly as she paced back and forth in her room. Groaning in frustration, she threw herself on her bed. ' _Okay, I know he is coming back, and that I will go out there. I should wait for Raven to come back... but it will be too late. She'll be staying overnight. I have to come up with a game plan…'_

As she was thinking of what to do, she decided to be very nice and hospitable.

She wasn't under the same protection Raven was while Sebastian wasn't there, and as she _knew_ he wasn't human but not certain as to _what he was_ , she knew there was no guarantee he wouldn't hurt her - or worse.

She had a feeling that he didn't mean to hurt her... but she knew she could still be wrong.

She also had a feeling that if she didn't show up, _he would._

With her decision in mind, she set off in search of Finny. Having not seen him outside, she went straight to the kitchen, finding Bard... polishing a... gun?

"Good afternoon, Bard! Have you seen Finnian recently?"

Bard immediately looked up and warmly smiled. "Ah! Hello there, milady! I'm afraid you've just missed him; he just left to tend to the garden."

"Well, at least I know where to find him!" Kyra chuckled. She made to leave but paused instead. "Actually, do you have a few moments? I would... like to talk to you about last night."

He was silent for several long moments. "Well, mi'lady, if you insist, but I would rather not."

"I'm afraid we must. Please don't think I am trying to interrogate you or anything. It's about the comic book comment... You laughed; we both did. So, we have something in common then, don't we? I am not from… _around here_ and neither are you - and I don't mean that we are both Americans, either. I think you know what I mean, am I correct?" Kyra asked cautiously, not wanting to be pushy, but she wanted to know and was nervous about even asking.

"Well... It's rather complicated," he said, averting his gaze a bit and pausing in his polishing.

She smiled gently. "I know. It is for us too. Is my assumption correct?"

There was a long stretch of silence as the two stood there.

He eventually let out a heavy sigh. "... Yes... but like I said, it's... complicated."

"As is my situation," she repeated. "Bard... I think we have more in common than you think."

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

Kyra hummed as she walked toward the gazebo, looking for signs of the insufferable man.

 _'Ooh, Finny already started the fire like I asked!'_ Kyra noted with a smile. It would certainly be needed as the night's chill was already strong in the air. She hoped that the warmth from the fire had had enough time to start its magic. She clutched her shawl tighter around herself as she walked.

She settled down on the chair nearest to the fire, taking in its warmth. She patiently waited for several minutes before beginning to kick her feet, bored. _'Where is he?'_ She wondered. If he were inhuman as he seemed to claim and she suspected, then he should have no problem getting here and knowing she was waiting for him. _Sebastian_ never seemed to have an issue with it.

Kyra sighed. _'Why do I even want to see this guy? He tried to herd me and he called me an idiot.'_ She huffed, shifting a bit.

She had just made up her mind to leave when she heard him.

"Wit urr ye dein' ower thare, wee lassie? Wit, urr he daft, eh? Come donder wi' me!"

She grit her teeth. "No thanks. I'm going to stay by the fire. It's way to chilly."

He reflected for a moment before shrugging and moving to join her, stopping when she held her hand up.

"Ah-ah-ah! You can come join me only if you speak proper English," Kyra tsk'd.

"Ah know, lassie," he chuckled. "Ah wis just joking with ye. Wit, so ye think ahm too daft to mind my own word?"

She held up her hands defensively. "You said it, not me."

He paused a moment before dramatically clutching his hands to his chest. "Ye wound mah heart, lassie!" He cried, doubling over as if in pain.

She burst out laughing, gesturing to the couch as she shook her head. _'Right. That's why,'_ she mused, _'He's funny as Hell, and goofy, too. Being hot as Hell doesn't hurt, either.'_

His lips twitched as her laughter died down. "Now, then! Ah kin ye were sayin' ye'r a wee bit cold? C'mon o'er, then! Ah'll warm ye up a bit," he invited, patting the couch beside him.

Kyra rose an eyebrow, critically eyeing him. "I'm plenty fine by the fire for the moment, but thank you. Please remember that we don't even know each other."

"Och! Yer right, lassie! How rude o' me!" He grinned as he stood, flamboyantly bowing. Standing with his hand over his head, he twirled it as his hand came to rest upon his breast. "Ye may call me Nimrod."

A soft wheeze erupted from Kyra as she wrapped her shawl tighter around herself. "I'm Kyra... It's a pleasure..." She giggled. "Now, please excuse me..." With that, she all but tumbled forward from the chair to the floor, collapsing into a fit of giggles and hysterical laughter. "I'm sorry," she stuttered between gasps. "I never thought that people still use that name! The only way I've heard it used is to mean 'idiot'... dimwitted... Y'know?"

The now-dubbed Nimrod looked rather befuddled. "Ah've ne'er heard that afore. 'Tis rather a decent and respectable name."

"Not in America," she wheezed. "Not anymore, at least."

His mind wandered, not particularly caring about the supposed American meaning. _'Kyra... That goes lovely with mah own.'_

"Again, sorry!" she said, sobering up. "I don't know why that struck me as so funny. I don't usually laugh so hard at something like that."

"It's alright, na apologies are wantit, lassie. Ye have a delightful roar, " he replied, amused. He was enjoying his time with the little lassie. With that thought, he couldn't help but wonder when _he_ would return. The Scotsman smiled and asked, "Whin is Mister Sebastian due tae return?"

Kyra, surprised at the question, decided to choose her words carefully. "Oh, he should be back soon. Why? Did you need to speak to him?"

The man chuckled (rather mischievously, in Kyra's view). "Nah, and really. Ah sis just wondering whin th' man would be back." Nimrod paused, noting the change in her body language. She knew _exactly_ when he would be back, he observed. She simply was not _telling him._ He _very much_ wanted to know how much time he had to spend with this lovely vixen, so he asked again. "Bit do ye ken whin he is expected to return?"

Kyra was becoming very uncomfortable with his questions. She wanted to know why he was asking, but he clearly would be avoiding answering. She decided it would be best to change the subject. "So, Mister Nimrod, what brings you to England? Are you here on business or for pleasure?"

He smiled slowly, standing up and walking behind her chair. As he bent over, he whispered, "A'm 'ere fur pleasure, my dear." His face was close enough to her's that she could feel his breath when he whispered, "That's how come ah desperately need tae ken whin he is due back sae an kin plan this time wisely." He turned to look at her and smiled again, an _inquisitive_ smile that seemed to _scream_ at her to tell him what he wanted to know, a smile that seemed to have something _dark_ hiding behind it... a smile that gave her the chills. "So, _please,_ answer th' question, lassie."

In addition to the smile, Kyra was uncomfortable with him invading her personal space and pressing her so much about Sebastian. If he had no business with Sebastian, he had no right or good reason to be interrogating her like this. She had thought he was there to be with her and get to know her better, but why was he seemingly trying to avoid Sebastian? _'This can't be good. What should I do?'_

It was when he shifted and she felt his breath on her lips that she made her decision. With her face flushed and her lips parted, her hands drifted to her belt and expertly unclasped it.

His eyes had followed her hands and he stared in bewilderment at her actions. "Wee lassie, dinnae ye think... that's headin' a bit-" He was cut off when her skirt sailed into his face and through it, he was slapped.

He heard the tell-tail sounds of her retreating again into the manor as she shouted, "CIEL! MEY-RIN! FINNY! _BAAARD!_ BATTLE STATIONS! _STRANGER DANGER!_ _ **STRANGER DANGER!"**_

 _'Well, she_ does _exit with quite a flair... Both times!'_

* * *

 _ **OoO**_

* * *

An arm snaked around Kyra's waist as soon as she entered the manor, swiftly pulling her to the side and against a strong chest. Her mouth was briefly covered by a large hand as the figure swiftly peeked out the door before dodging back inside.

"Pardon my rudeness, m'lady," Bard's gruff voice sounded. "Very quietly now, how many are there? Did you see where they were?"

She took a deep breath to steady herself as he let go of her mouth. "There was... There was only _one,_ but... he's like _Sebastian!"_

He looked at her with his eyes widened in shock. "Like Mister Sebastian?! What does someone like that want? Is he after the young master?"

"No," she shook her head, "he seems to be after _me_ but is overly concerned with Mister Sebastian's schedule. Last I saw, he was in the gazebo."

"With all due respect, m'lady, how did you get away from someone like that?" Bard asked, looking a mixture of bewildered, impressed and sceptical.

She paused for a moment before replying. "I threw my skirt at his face, slapped him and ran like Hell. I _am_ quite fast, you know. I _was_ on the track team." She puffed her chest in pride. "I was the _captain_ of the track team."

His eyes slowly dropped, noting her lack of skirt. _'Well, I suppose that would..._ distract _him...'_ "Well, it's a good thing you can do that, then. Why don't you go rest in your room while we take care of this, m'lady?"

She nodded, shaken.

"Alright," Bard grinned, staring at the gazebo. "Time to find this intruder."

"Bard?" Kyra hesitantly called from the door.

"Yes, m'lady?"

"Be careful."

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _ **Hey, guys! The Scottish-English translator I use can be found on my profile page. Thanks for reading! :)**_


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